asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the number of licences granted to importers of compound and straight fertilisers in the year 1976-77; and the name and tonnage in each case.

I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to have circulated with the Official Report a tabular statement setting out the information requested by the Deputy.

Following is the statement:

LIST OF DUTY-FREE/REDUCED DUTY LICENCES ISSUED FOR STRAIGHT AND COMPOUND FERTILISER IN THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 1976 AND IN 1977 TO DATE.

37.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will furnish the name of the importer who imported fertilisers in the years 1976 and 1977 marked "Made in Ireland" on the bags; the tonnage involved for both compound and straight fertilisers; and the action his Department proposes to take to stop this practice.

Arising from representations in March of this year, I learned that one firm had imported fertilisers packed in bags bearing the firm's name, without a complete indication of the country of origin. The matter is still being investigated in conjunction with the Revenue Commissioners. Pending establishment of the relevant facts, it would not be appropriate for me to furnish at this stage the firm's name, or the quantities which may have been involved.

This matter calls for investigation and the public, whether now or in two months' time, will demand to know the firm in which this type of thing could happen and has happened. Would the Parliamentary Secretary comment on that?

The matter is being investigated at the moment, as I have already indicated, by the Revenue Commissioners and my Department. While not mentioning the name of the firm, I do not think it would be fair to do so in view of the fact that these investigations are still going on.

I can give the Deputy some indication of the problem from my indication to him that it is not as simple as all that. The problem is to an extent that goods were marked as made in Ireland when, in fact, they were made in Northern Ireland. Most people would accept that goods made in Northern Ireland are made in Ireland but this is the matter which is being argued at the moment. There may be other aspects of the problem. I do not wish to go into it in great detail.

The Parliamentary Secretary may try to answer me that way but last week on a similar question concerning fertilisers I mentioned a firm and I asked him the tonnage imported and he mentioned Great Britain. I asked him if that included Northern Ireland. He said it did.

If the Deputy wants information, he must proceed by way of question.

In the context of the question asked by the Deputy on that occasion the answer I gave was perfectly correct so far as interpreting the rules regarding merchandise marks is concerned. I have also set the facts of this case before the House.

One final supplementary. Will the Parliamentary Secretary say if I put down a question in two months' time concerning the import of fertilisers whether I will get an answer?

It depends on the results of the investigation. Perhaps the Deputy would put a question down.

I will.