asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will restrict the importation of onions during 1983.

Trade in onions is governed by EEC rules and a member state cannot unilaterally impose restrictions on imports. The production of onions in this country falls well short of market requirements and it is necessary to have imports to fill the gap.

(Limerick West): Are there any plans in the Minister's Department, or with the committee which he has set up, to investigate and ensure an adequate production of onions, even for the home market?

The chairman of the committee is a very substantial grower of the crop and shares the Deputy's concern. There is no good reason why we should not be able to produce sufficient quantities.

(Limerick West): So the Minister is optimistic in that regard?

Not for this year, but in the long-term, yes.

Would the Minister not agree that in the seventies we had a rapidly developing industry in the production of onions? That industry was allowed to collapse due to the rate of imports. Had there been a marketing board then to control production as well as importation this problem would not have arisen. We had a well developed industry ten years ago.

This question concerns restrictions on importation now. The Deputy cannot go back to the seventies.

14.