asked the Taoiseach the total amount of cloth imported for the make-up trade in respect of the years (a) 1970 and (b) 1978 or the latest date or which figures are available.

Import statistics are compiled on the basis of commodity headings which generally give no indication of the specific use to which the goods will be put. Imports of textile fabric of kinds mainly used for garments amounted to 64 million square metres in 1970 and to 111 million square metres in 1978.