asked the Taoiseach the number of factories manufacturing blankets in this country and their location; the total number of employees engaged in the industry; and the value of blankets imported in 1980.

Four of the establishments covered by the Central Statistics Office production inquiries manufacture numbers of blankets on a regular or intermittent basis. They are located in Counties Dublin, Cork, Kerry and Mayo.

Employment data available relate to total employment in these establishments which manufacture substantial quantities of other textile products besides blankets. Total employment covering all products was 302 persons for a week in December 1980.

Import data on blankets are available from the trade statistics for "Travelling rugs and blankets (not knitted)". The total value of such imports in the year 1980 was £1,744,000. There were in addition imports of "Electric blankets" to the value of £1,409,000 in 1980.

Is the Minister of State aware of the serious recession this industry is going through and that the 302 people mentioned as the overall number in the industry will be severely reduced unless action is taken by the Government in relation to VAT on this commodity? Is the Minister considering any change to relieve the problem in relation to VAT?

VAT would not be a matter for this Department. The Deputy should put down a question to the Minister for Finance on that.

I appreciate it is not a matter for the Minister's Department but surely he would have some idea in relation to the overall situation if this matter was contemplated? Has the Minister any idea at all that the abolition of VAT in relation to blankets might be considered?

The Deputy will appreciate that this is a statistical question and that the matter he is raising does not apply to the Taoiseach.

This question has been directed to the Taoiseach who has responsibility for things such as taxation.

This is a statistical question. The Deputy should relate his supplementary questions to these statistics.

Will the Minister of State let me know to what he attributes the massive imports of blankets, £1.74 million?

To the fact that people do not buy Irish-made blankets.

Is it not a fact that the reason they do not buy Irish-made blankets is because of the severe imposition of VAT?

This is becoming a discussion and I will not allow this to continue.

The only way to encourage the sale of Irish blankets is the abolition of VAT on this commodity.

This is not a matter for the Minister of State.