asked the Minister for Health if he has yet taken steps in conjunction with the Medical Research Council, to ensure that only in circumstances where there is certainly no alternative, live animals are used in experimental work.

In the operation of the scheme of licensing of experimentation on live animals it is a prerequisite of granting such a licence that the work concerned cannot be done by alternative means and I am satisfied that licences issued by my Department do not infringe this principle.

I have asked the Medical Research Council for their views on the desirability and feasibility of intensifying research for alternative techniques. I hope to have those views shortly.

Does the Minister have any right of access to investigate or inspect the conditions under which research is carried out with live animals?

My officers do, yes. The Deputy understands that I have no technical knowledge in this area but before the papers come to me I understand very thorough investigations are carried out.

Has the Minister the right of access through inspectors? Are there inspectors whose job it is to go around and see that the rules are not exceeded or that there is not an excessive use of live animals for experiments?

I am almost certain that we have that right, but I cannot say specifically. I will look into it.