asked the Minister for Finance the percentage of total Government expenditure represented by expenditure on agriculture, exclusive of consumer subsidies, in 1979, 1977 and 1971.

The percentages are as follows: 1979, 4.7 per cent; 1977, 6.1 per cent; 1971, 15.2 per cent.

Notes

(a) The figure of 15.2 per cent relates to the year ending March 1972.

(b) The cost of unemployment assistance for smallholders has been excluded from the calculations in addition to the cost of consumer subsidies.

How much difference would the latter footnote make?

I have not got that information here.

Could the Minister give me some idea of the difference? Is there a difference of 1 per cent?

I am afraid I could not.

There has been a decline.

If that is what the Deputy is trying to establish, he knows why we joined the EEC and he knows where a great deal of the money that is now going into agriculture is coming from.

We were in the EEC in 1977 and we are still in it.

There is a decline of a quarter since the Government changed.

Since the Deputies do not seem to be aware of it, I should point out that in 1979 agriculture will get £370 million in EEC support through CAP in addition to the £161 million in State aid. It does not help to give a picture of the situation which is only partial and therefore misleading.