asked the Minister for Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism if he will undertake a survey to establish a list of the different items which have been imported into this country; and if subsequently he will enter into discussion with the Youth Employment Agency and AnCO in order to initiate an import substitution programme involving young entrepreneurs.

The Central Statistics Office publishes details of items imported into the country. The IDA, in co-operation with the Central Statistics Office, have produced a set of import highlights covering different sectors of industry. These figures relate to products which are being imported into the country on a large scale. They do not, by themselves, prove that an opportunity exists for import substitution. Rather they identify items that are worthy of closer investigation by people with expertise in the relevant sectors.

The IDA have also produced a super-market study entitled "Consumer Foods — Ideas for Development" which identifies new consumer food products with potential for production in Ireland. This study, together with the latest available import highlights, may be inspected by interested parties in the IDA's regional offices around the country and in the IDA's walk-in information centre at Mount Street, Dublin 2.

Real import substitution will only take place, however, when Irish goods and services can realistically compete with imported products in terms of price, quality and reliability. The extensive services and expertise of State agencies are available to assist Irish industry in this regard. In relation to the Deputy's question concerning the introduction of an import substitution programme, the Deputy will be aware that, as a member of the European Communities, Ireland is generally precluded from restricting the import of materials produced in other member states or from engaging the services of State agencies to promote the sale of Irish made products over those produced in other member states.

A report recently indicated that thousands of jobs would be available if there was an import substitution programme. Could the Minister comment on this?

The annual raw material and component requirements of the electronics industry amount to £400 million, of which only 16 per cent is currently being supplied by firms in Ireland. For that reason, the IDA's linkage programme which is designed to help Irish companies to reach the standard necessary to supply the raw materials and components of other Irish located electronics companies, is giving first priority to electronics.