asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy if he will, in conjunction with the campaign under way to promote the use of Irish products, seek to have Irish food and beverages used exclusively by semi-State bodies, particularly Aer Lingus.

I am satisfied that semi-State bodies are fully aware of the benefits of using Irish-produced food and drink and that they, including Aer Lingus, do this to the maximum extent possible.

It is not possible, under the terms of our EEC commitments, to direct that Irish food and drinks be used by semi-State bodies to the exclusion of similar products from other Community sources.

Has the Minister said that he is satisfied with the efforts of Aer Lingus and other semi-State bodies in this respect?

Yes.

Is the Minister aware that on a recent continental flight out of Dublin by Aer Lingus orange juice from Dusseldorf, jam from London and biscuits manufactured in New York and packed in the Federal Republic of Germany were served? Does he consider that indicative of support by a semi-State body for the "Buy Irish" campaign?

It would be interesting if the Deputy were to relate the items he has just mentioned to the total carriage of goods and total consumption on that aeroplane. We all read the same report. It is very easy to jibe at semi-State bodies. Once again I should like to record that they have been doing an excellent job. As far as the biscuits are concerned, there are various hygiene regulations and controls that Aer Lingus try to adhere to. So far they have failed to find any company in Ireland prepared to wrap the biscuits in the manner they want. As far as the orange juice is concerned, a similar situation obtained. But I am happy to say that Aer Lingus have found a company hoping to go into production within the next three or four months who will be able to supply their needs in this respect. The jam and milk served on the aeroplane in question were Irish. Surely we are not going to reduce this whole programme to the petty level of individually wrapped biscuits?

I do not know whether it was confusion or not, but did I understand the Minister to say the jam served on that flight was Irish? The jam was definitely from London. Did I also understand him to say that the reason Irish biscuits were not used was that they had not the proper facilities for packing them? While there may not have been the means of packing those biscuits here does the Minister consider it necessary to have had them manufactured in New York and packed in the Federal Republic of Germany?

Perhaps the Minister should talk to his Senatorial colleague about that.

Would it be fair to assume that the integrity of the "Buy Irish" campaign which the Minister is carrying out could be gauged also by the fact that even in the restaurant in this House the food is not even of Irish origin? I would ask him to check that one out.

That should hit the headlines for the Deputy tomorrow.

If the Minister did something about it it might hit the headlines too.

The level of the Opposition can be gauged by a leader who questions a "Buy Irish" campaign on the basis of a sachet of milk used on an Aer Lingus plane.