asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if following the latest incidents in the North he will now call on the British Government to ban the use of plastic bullets in the North.

The Deputy will be aware that in response to questions in the European Parliament on 14 September last I said that in the circumstances existing in Northern Ireland the Government see no alternative but to have plastic bullets withdrawn from use.

Would the Minister say whether the Government have made a very strong protest in recent times to the British Government for the withdrawal of plastic bullets for use in Northern Ireland?

It is not customary to say what we have or have not discussed with the British Government in relation to these matters. I do not intend to depart from that well-established custom.

Uimhir 16.

Would the Minister agree that plastic bullets are an inherently unsuitable method of riot control and that other countries, including Britain, should not be prepared to use them?

I said in my reply to the Parliament a few weeks ago that they are thought by a number of Governments throughout the world to be a useful method of riot control, but it did not appear to us that the rules adhering to their use were being obeyed in Northern Ireland, therefore I saw no alternative but to call for the cessation of their use.

Would the Minister say whether he has made any recommendations to his colleagues in Government on the question of plastic bullets and stopping of supplies of them to this country?

The Deputy has been in Government often enough to know that——

Has he been able to convince any of his own colleagues——

Peter Barry has no policy I only reiterate the Government's policy.

Would the Minister not accept that it is becoming increasingly clear that Peter Barry has a slightly different policy in some areas from that of Garret FitzGerald? Would he care to comment?

Do not tempt me.

I am not asking the Minister to comment but Peter Barry.

Peter Barry is not here. The Minister is here.

A Cheann Comhairle——

I did not call you.

You did.

I did not.