Could the Minister give a breakdown of where the imports came from?

I do not have that information.

Could the Minister say what percentage of food products available in our shops and supermarkets are imported and how many companies are involved?

That is obviously the kind of question a Minister could not be expected to anticipate. He would need a fleet of civil servants with him to provide that information.

It is in our interests to know where these imports are coming from.

The Minister said in his reply to me that he merely had an estimate of the total amount of imports. Is the Minister saying there is no mechanism in his Department to monitor the exact amount and the various headings under which these imports are coming in?

As far as I am aware, over the years there has not been any mechanism for this but I understand that the monitoring committee which have been set up will be looking into this aspect. I acknowledge that it is very important and I assure the House that the Government are very concerned about food imports and are making every effort to ensure that we substitute home products as far as possible.

What does the Minister mean by every effort that the present Government are making?

(Limerick West): They are closing the food processing factories.

That is a childish attitude to adopt. Question No. 11.

This is like a kindergarten school.