asked the Minister for Agriculture the percentage of required cattle identification ear tags imported in 1982.

All cattle identification ear tags used in connection with State schemes in 1982 were imported. Suitable ear tags have been sought from Irish manufacturers over the years but up to 1982 none proved satisfactory. In that year a home-produced tag was approved for use under the bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis eradication schemes but production difficulties encountered by the manufacturer have delayed the introduction of this tag.

Are the imported Niemeijer tags tamper proof and have they been tested by the IIRS over the past few years?

I do not have that exact information, but a number of different types of tags are being imported. Suitable ear tags were sought from Irish manufacturers over the years and a home produced tag was offered by Vetmark Limited and approved for use. However, Vetmark ran into some manufacturing problems and to date the project has not got off the ground.

This is not the Minister's fault, but it is a disgraceful situation.

The Deputy should not interrupt.

I know, but my enthusiasm got the better of me.

Is the Minister aware that in the mid-seventies Deputies visited the IIRS and examined tags which the officials were perfecting? More than a year later I contacted the IIRS because of the damage that had been done as a result of tag switching——

A question, please.

I was told they had encountered some flaws. Since then we have been told that the tags in use are tamper proof. I want to know why an order has been given for tags to be imported when we have spent all this money perfecting tags. Are the tags in use those that have been perfected by the IIRS?

No. The particular tag was designed by a Dutchmen, Mr. Niemeijer. The designer who hoped to manufacture tags here has encountered manufacturing problems. Therefore, I do not think the tag in use is the same type we saw at that time.

I want the Minister to carry out an investigation into this area because the IIRS spent a great deal of money examining, testing and perfecting a tag. Has all that money been lost?

There are 106 questions down to the Minister for Agriculture and we are now at No. 15. I am calling the next question.

I want to ask a supplementary to Question No. 15.

The Chair has called the next question.

My question is reasonable——

All questions are reasonable.

What is the value of the importation of the tags required? Is the Minister aware that last year an Irishman patented a tamper proof tag? I want to know what the Department's officials are doing about it, or is it a case that because a product is manufactured abroad it is better than a home produced product?

The Deputy is making a speech.

First, I am asking the value and second what the Department's officials are doing about the tamper proof tag.

I have no further information other than what I have already given the House.

I ask the Minister to acquaint himself with the facts——

The Deputy can put down a separate question.

In the light of the amount of money being spent abroad at a time when we should be trying to——

When Deputies see these questions on the Order Paper they get bright ideas, but if they put down separate questions in advance they will get the information in the House.

This has been accepted by the Department's officials——

What was the origin of the tags used for the calf subsidy scheme?

That is a separate question.

It comes under this heading.

Question No. 15 asks about the percentage——

The ear tags used for the calf premium scheme are imported by a private supplier and distributed to AI stations.

Is the Minister aware that they are inferior and are causing considerable difficulty at farm level?