asked the Taoiseach the percentage of our total exports last year which were of agricultural origin.

Dún Laoghaire): In 1982 agricultural produce accounted for 21.9 percent of total exports.

Would the Minister agree that it was a serious error to suspend the farm modernisation scheme in view of its importance to agricultural production?

There are a number of questions on similar lines, all of them statistical. The question the Deputy is now putting is for another Minister and does not arise out of a statistical question.

I submit that the question is relevant to the question on the Order Paper.

If Deputy Kirk were to think about it and read Standing Orders he would come to the conclusion that it was not relevant.

Could the Minister give the information in money terms?

(Dún Laoghaire): The answer is £1,245.7 million.

What does that represent in terms of overall exports?

(Dún Laoghaire): It represents 21.9 per cent.

4.

asked the Taoiseach the value of agricultural machinery imported from 1973 to 1976, inclusive, 1977 to 1980, inclusive and in 1981 to date.

(Dún Laoghaire): Imports of agricultural machinery amounted to £130 million in the period 1973 to 1976 inclusive, £362 million in 1977 to 1980 and £161 million in 1981 to April 1983.

I propose to circulate a statement giving the details of these imports.

Following is the statement:

Imports of agricultural machinery

What steps do the Government intend to take to explore the possibility of import substitution in this area?

The Deputy will have to be guided by Standing Orders, as is the Chair. These questions are answered by the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach because the Taoiseach is in charge of the Central Statistics Office. There may be various other Minister responsible for the policy which the Deputy wishes to question and he will have to find another occasion to do so.

Could we have a breakdown of the machinery imported?

(Dún Laoghaire): That is not part of the question.

Of course it is.

(Dún Laoghaire): The question refers to the value of agricultural machinery.

The Minister does not know what agricultural machinery is.

Perhaps the Minister could give the total expenditure on farm machinery last year.

(Dún Laoghaire): I am sorry. I do not have that information because it is not part of the subject matter of the question.

Could we have a breakdown of the various items imported?

(Dún Laoghaire): If the Deputy puts down a question.

I would ask Deputies to think about these statistical questions. They relate to statistical information and that is all.

My supplementary relates to statistics.

The Deputy should put down a separate question.

5.

asked the Taoiseach the average number of people employed in agriculture per year since we joined the EEC.

(Dún Laoghaire): Official estimates of the labour force by broad sector are compiled in respect of mid-April of each year. I propose to circulate a tabular statement showing the estimated number of persons at work in Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing.

Following is the statement:

Estimated Number of Persons at Work in Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing at mid-April 1975 to 1982.

Note:

(1) A new series, commencing with 1975, was introduced in 1980. The series derived basically from the 1975, 1977 and 1979 Labour Force Surveys and trend indicators were used to interpolate the 1976 and 1978 figures. The results of an analysis of a five per cent sample of 1981 Census of Population returns were adjusted to allow as far as possible for differences between Census and Labour Force Survey methodology and used in conjunction with available indicators to prepare comparable 1981 estimates. Trend indicators were then used to interpolate the 1980 figures and provide estimates for 1982.

(2) The 1980-82 estimates are provisional pending the final results of the 1981 Census of Population and the results of the 1983 Labour Force Survey which is presently being undertaken.

Can we not be given the answer to the question in the Chamber?

There is a procedure for answering questions of this type by circulating a written statement. The Deputy can put down a separate question.

(Dún Laoghaire): The estimated number of persons at work in 1975 was 238,000; in 1976, 232,000; in 1977, 228,000; in 1979, 221,000; in 1980, 212,000; in 1981, 201,000; and in 1982, 196,000. I have not got figures available for 1983.

Could the Minister say whether the figures are going up or down?

Would the Minister have the figures for those employed indirectly in agriculture?

That is a separate question.

Would the Minister send them on to me? Can he say what steps he proposes to take seeing that the numbers employed in agriculture are dwindling annually? What incentives does he propose to give——

That question does not arise.

6.

asked the Taoiseach the number of people employed in the agricultural machinery sector in 1976; and the number of people employed in 1982.

(Dún Laoghaire): The number of persons engaged in industrial establishments mainly engaged in the manufacture of agricultural machinery was estimated to be 500 in September 1976 according to the 1976 Census of Industrial Production. Estimates from the quarterly industrial inquiry indicate that employment in september 1982 was approximately at the same level.

7.

(Limerick West) asked the Taoiseach the value of agricultural exports to EEC countries in 1982; and the amount to each country.

8.

(Limerick West) asked the Taoiseach the value of agricultural exports to non-EEC countries in 1982; and the amount to each country.

(Dún Laoghaire): I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 8 together. In 1982 the value of agricultural exports to EEC countries was £945.2 million and to non-EEC countries was £300.4 million. I propose to circulate a statement showing the value of such exports to individual countries.

Following is the statement:

Value of Agricultural Exports in 1982.

9.

asked the Taoiseach the quantity of butter oil exported in 1981, 1982 and up to 1 May 1983; and the countries to which the exports were made.

(Dún Laoghaire): Exports of butter oil amounted to 9,200 tonnes in 1981, 2,500 tonnes in 1982 and 145 tonnes in the period January-April 1983. I propose to circulate a statement giving the countries of destination of these exports.

Following is the statement:

Export of butter oil