asked the Taoiseach the amount of imported materials and component parts, that is, uppers made up or in part, heels, soles, insoles, linings, lasts, toe puffs, stiffeners and so forth, used for the manufacture of footwear, indicating the country of origin, the volume in pairs and the value in each of the years 1973 to 1978 and in each month in 1977 and 1978 to date.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to circulate in the Official Report a statement showing the available data on imports of parts of footwear. The proportion of imported materials such as leather, rubber and so on, to be used for the manufacture of footwear is not separately recorded in the statistics.

Following is the statement:

Imports of parts of Footwear of all materials except Metal and Asbestos 1973 to January—August 1978

Imports of parts of Footwear of all materials except Metal Asbestos, in the months of 1977.

Imports of parts of Footwear of all materials except Metal Asbestos in the months of 1978.

Imports of prepared parts of Footwear of all materials except Metal and Asbestos 1973 to January—August 1978

Imports of prepared parts of Footwear of all materials except Metal Asbestos in the months of 1977.

Imports of prepared parts of Footwear of all materials except Metal Asbestos in the months of 1978.

On a point of order, I wish to raise the question of whether the Taoiseach will accept that it is discourteous to the leader of the party opposite and to the House to transfer to other Ministers questions to him on major issues of policy such as the EMS with which he is personally concerning himself with negotiating or the question of commissions for electoral boundaries to which he has a personal commitment. If I withdraw those questions, may I invite him to answer them in courtesy to myself, to my party and to the House?

The Chair wishes to intervene here to say that it has always been the practice that questions are transferred to what is regarded as the most appropriate Department.

I would ask the Taoiseach if he would have the courtesy to consider answering them himself.

It is not a question of courtesy. It is the question of objectivity, a question of judgement as to which Minister is primarily responsible. It does not matter from which source on the Opposition benches a question may come. There is a tendency on the part of every Deputy to try to get a question down to the Taoiseach because he knows that on two days each week he will get priority. Apart from that reason, it is only right that the Minister primarily charged with a particular subject should have questions addressed to him on that subject matter and not addressed to the Taoiseach.

The Taoiseach has specific responsibility in relation to the two questions. Question No. 307 relates to the securing of democratic control over the single monetary authority that must emerge with monetary union, his own statement in this House and a matter on which he is negotiating. Why should responsibility for replying to that question, which is using his own words in relation to the matter, be transferred?

We cannot discuss this now.

I will be discussing fishery matters, regional policy matters and agricultural matters next week with my colleagues——

The Taoiseach is negotiating the EMS. I am glad he is doing this because it is an appropriate matter to discuss at the level of Heads of Government. Why has a question on that subject been transferred? Secondly, surely the Taoiseach accepts personal responsibility for the guarantee with regard to electoral commissions? This is not a matter for the Minister. What I wanted to discuss in this House is the Taoiseach's commitment, not the Minister's commitment. I have not heard the Minister on the subject commit himself to anything.

The Minister will convey my views. I am sure there will not be any conflict.

One is entitled when talking to the person responsible and who has entered into a commitment on the matter to question him directly about fulfilling that commitment rather than be fobbed off with somebody who has not got such a personal commitment.

I must take issue with the Deputy. I made a commitment on an overall issue of Government activity and policy. The implementation of that undertaking is a matter for a particular Minister, and from there on it is his responsibility.