asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism the production capacity for acrylic fibre in this country; the volume of this product imported each month since January last; and its value.

Since there is only one producer of acrylic fibres in this country, it would be contrary to established practice to disclose the information requested in the first part of the Deputy's question.

As regards the information requested about imports of acrylic fibres I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to circulate this information in the form of a tabular statement in the Official Report.

Imports of Acrylic Fibres

All I want is four figures. I want the volume and value of the exports of acrylic fibre and I want the same for imports. That is two sets of figures and I am getting that in a tabular statement.

The Deputy does not know his own question.

Will the Minister of State tell me the total imports of acrylic fibre and the total exports? That is just two figures.

The Deputy asked a specific question for each month which I have asked, with the permission of the Chair, to circulate in tabular form. He did not ask me to give him the total figure. If he did I would have given it to him. I am giving what I was asked.

Could the Minister give the total now?

I have not got the total with me.

Would the Minister accept that at this moment, because of certain regulations, there are people on short time in this industry while at the same time we are exporting fibre and having to import the same fibre?