asked the Minister for Agriculture (i) the value of directly competing food imports since 1970, (ii) the percentage of total food consumption that these competing imports represent, and (iii) the estimated number of additional people who would have been employed in the Irish food industry if these directly competing food imports were produced and processed in this country.

There is no official or universally accepted designation of what might be regarded as directly competing food imports. It is not possible therefore to give meaningful replies to parts (ii) and (iii) of the question.

Would the Minister not think it useful to have a set definition in view of the fact that there has been a considerable growth in import of vegetables, whether competing or otherwise, into this country?

That may be desirable, but at the moment there is no official or universally accepted definition. It would have to be universally accepted.

Would the Minister not accept that he would have a prime role in obtaining such a universally accepted definition? If we do not know what we can produce this country is not going to produce anything and the Minister's admission that he does not know what we can produce is a serious matter.

I am not the only one who does not know.

I would expect that the Minister would be in a better position than anyone else.

I shall look into the matter.