asked the Minister for Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism the level of import penetration in textiles for 1983.

The information sought by the Deputy on the level of import penetration in textiles for 1983 is set out in the form of a tabular statement which I propose to have circulated with the Official Report.

Following is the statement:

1. The above are approximate figures based on best estimates.

2. Import penetration is the estimate of Imports as a % of Apparent Home Consumption (Imports + Production — Exports).

3. Column (i) comprises articles of apparel and clothing accessories including knitwear.

4. Column (ii) comprises textile fibres and their wastes, textile yarn, fabrics, made-up articles, and related products, a large proportion of which are raw materials for further processing.

Not having seen the tabular statement yet, will the Minister agree——

That is the difficulty in asking a supplementary question in such a case.

Yes, but I have a fair idea of what is in the tabular statement. I think the Minister will agree that it will show a very extensive level of import penetration in the area of textiles. Will the Minister agree that it is due largely to the conditions of competitiveness that apply here and have done for the past number of years? Further, will he agree that the recently announced increase in ESB charges will make that competitive situation considerably worse. Is he concerned about that situation?

I dealt with this subject quite comprehensively in May 1984. By far the most significant share of imports are of EC origin and, because of our membership of the community, they must remain unrestricted. Furthermore, it is important to realise that a large proportion of our imports of textiles are raw materials for further processing and reexport. The complex nature of the industry must be appreciated.

Will the Minister not agree that the level of textile production here has decreased substantially year after year for the past decade? Does he accept that it is open to him and to his Department to make representations to the EC both so far as their own production is concerned and also so far as imports into the EC are concerned for a special arrangement for Irish textile producers that would enable a reasonable level of employment in that sector to be maintained here?

I will give some export figures for the Deputy's information.

The question relates to imports.

In 1981 we imported £565 million worth of clothing and textiles and we exported £419 million worth. The comparable figures for 1982 are £579 million and £436 million respectively, and for 1983, £628 million and £475 million respectively. As can be seen from those figures, while imports have grown successively in those three years so also have exports grown. I give those figures to emphasise the complex nature of the clothing and textile industry.

8.