asked the Taoiseach if he will list the number of agricultural products and food products imported annually from Northern Ireland from 1970 up to and including 1983; and the annual value of each product.

2.

asked the Taoiseach if he will give details of the number of agricultural products and food products exported annually to Northern Ireland from 1970 up to and including 1983; and the annual value of each product.

Dún Laoghaire): I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together.

Trade statistics are compiled for various categories of goods but even at the most detailed level each heading generally covers a group of related commodities rather than a single identifiable product. It is therefore not possible to indicate the number of separate products exported to or imported from Northern Ireland.

I propose to circulate a statement showing the value of trade in food and live animals with Northern Ireland under each of the relevant Standard International Trade Divisions for each year since 1970. More detailed information is published in the December issues of Trade Statistics of Ireland, for those years. Copies of these are available in the Library.

Following is the statement:

Table 1 — Imports from Northern Ireland of Food and Live Animals Chiefly for Food £million

Table 2 — Exports to Northern Ireland of Food and Live Animals Chiefly for Food £million