asked the Minister for Trade, Commerce and Tourism if he will give a breakdown by groupings of the cross-Border trade figures in each direction for 1981 and 1982 to date; and if he will identify the features which account for the adverse movement in the trade balance for 1981 in comparison with the previous four years.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to circulate a table showing a breakdown by groupings of cross-Border trade figures for 1981 and for the January-April 1982 period, the latest date for which a breakdown is available. The principal features which account for the adverse trade balance in 1981 are decreases in our export to Northern Ireland of cereals, raw materials, fuels and metals/metal products coupled with significant increases in our imports from Northern Ireland of live animals, meat, eggs, poultry, dairy produce, iron and steel. Trade figures for the first five months of 1982 suggest a return to a favourable balance in our trade with Northern Ireland.

Following is the table:

Question No. 79 postponed.