asked the Taoiseach if he will give details of the development of livestock numbers over the last five years, nationally and by county.

The latest year for which statistics of livestock numbers on a county basis are available is 1980 when the last census of agriculture was undertaken. Since then annual estimates for the State and the five ACOT regions only are available. In Table 1 the numbers of the principal categories of livestock in each county, ACOT region and the State are given for June 1980. The corresponding State and regional estimates for the years 1981 to 1985 inclusive are given in Table 2 which also contains provisional estimates, at State level only for certain livestock categories for June 1986. The complete range of estimates for 1986 should be available towards the end of the year.

Table 1—Numbers of Livestock in Each County and Region*, June 1980

* ACOT Regional. See footnote to Table 2 for composition.

Table 2 — Numbers of Livestock in Each Region,*, June 1981-1985 and Provisional State Estimates, 1986.

* Composition of ACOT Regions:

†Provisional Estimate.

N.A. = Not Available.