andMrs. E. Desmond asked the Minister for Health the various purposes for which experiments on live animals were performed in 1980 and 1981; the number of animals used; and experiments performed for each purpose.

The following is the information requested by the Deputies, in so far as it is available:

Licences under the Act are only granted following inspection by a medical officer of the Department and following his recommendation that the conditions of experimentation meet the requirements of the Act. Licences are reviewed on a three year basis or more frequently where this is considered necessary.