asked the Minister for Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism if he will consider allocating sums for the purpose of assisting a county trade fair based on local industries for the purpose of better marketing at home and abroad of manufactured goods in our small industries.

Marketing assistance is given to small industries by a number of State agencies notably CTT in relation to the export market, and the Irish Goods Council in relation to the home market.

The Irish Goods Council are the body who are principally concerned with providing assistance in respect of local trade fairs. I understand that their overall policy in this regard is to make organisational expertise available, together with modest funding, in certain cases, subject to there being a significant level of financial support and commitment at local level.

Will the Minister agree that a fresh look should be taken at this area because quite a number of local communities have a lot of activity going on but do not get an opportunity of showing their wares with a view to encouraging the home or export markets? I should like to refer to such an event last weekend in Ballyhaunis which was opened by the Minister for the Environment, Deputy Kavanagh. That was a marvellous success and if the Minister checks with his colleague he will learn that it was a great indication of what is possible in a small community if goods manufactured locally are put on display. It encourages extra growth in national and international sales. Will the Minister agree to have another look at this?

The Irish Goods Council are involved in assisting local fairs of this type. They have participated in exhibitions in such areas as Bray, Navan, Portlaoise, Dublin, Cork and Galway.

I am trying to get CTT interested.

There is a certain difficulty in getting a multiplicity of agencies involved. If CTT are involved with the Irish Goods Council there will be confusion of roles. I believe it is better to leave it to the Irish Goods Council if they are domestic exhibitions. Clearly, it is open to CTT to assist in flying in foreign buyers to an exhibition but helping an exhibition itself is better left to the Irish Goods Council.

Will the Minister agree that the Irish Goods Council have limited funds available for this type of work although a lot of the produce on display at such fairs is internationally orientated and aimed at the export market? Will the Minister agree that CTT could be usefully regarded as having a very important role to play in that area?

Where an exhibition has an export dimension CTT certainly have a role to play and I will encourage them to play it.

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