asked the Taoiseach the amount of mackerel exported from this country in (i) 1979 and (ii) 1980 and (iii) the estimated figure for 1981.

The latest period for which data are available is January-September 1981; estimates for the remainder of the year are not compiled by the Central Statistics Office.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to circulate in the Official Report a statement giving the available data. Following is the statement:

Exports of Mackerel.

I asked specifically for three figures. Can the Minister let me have those, please?

In 1979 the figure was 11,588 tonnes, in 1980 it was 30,281 tonnes and in the period from January to September 1981 it was 37,216 tonnes.

Is the Minister aware that there are no estimates of the quanities of mackerel in the waters around our shores and that other countries such as Denmark and Britain are catching enormous quanitities with the result that there is a grave possiblity of the almost fishing out of the mackerel stocks, as happened in the case of the herring stocks in the mid-seventies?

That appears to be a question for the Minister for Fisheries. Consequently, I suggest that the Deputy table the question to that Minister.

These are merely statistical replies.

I am not doubting the figure of 37,216 tonnes for the period January to September of this year, but the Minister must be aware that this is a period in which very little mackerel is caught. Perhaps Deputy Deasy was seeking the figures to the end of October so that the fish landings might be monitored and that the stocks would not be depleted.

As I have indicated, that information is not available to me.

Is the Minister saying that this question should not have been put down to the Taoiseach but to the Minister for Fisheries?

It is a statistical question and as such goes to the Taoiseach's Office for reply.

When may we have an answer?

In order to have a reply it would be necessary to table separate questions on the matter.