asked the Taoiseach the precise responsibilities allocated to the Minister of State at the Office of Trade and Marketing; and how these functions differ from the role of previous Ministers of State in that Department.

The Minister for Trade and Marketing is being allocated responsibility for all aspects of trade development, export promotion and marketing. Accordingly, he will be responsible for the activities of the International Trade Division of the Department of Industry and Commerce, including Córas Tráchtála and the Irish Goods Council.

The present allocation of the functions of trade and marketing differs from past arrangements in that these functions were not previously assigned to any Minister of State.

Is the Taoiseach aware of the confusion over the weekend when the Minister of State in question said that CTT were to take over the export marketing of fish and certain agricultural products that were previously under the auspices of BIM and CBF? Will the Taoiseach clarify that matter?

In so far as any confusion may have been caused I am sorry to have to point out to the Deputy that it was caused by the previous Government who announced that they were going to remove the functions in regard to fish from BIM and transfer them to CTT. The Government had indicated that they proposed to leave that function with BIM.

Do I take it that the Minister of State was speaking out of turn?

I do not think so. I am not aware of what the Deputy is referring to but the Minister of State has been looking at this whole area of the respective functions of CTT, BIM and CBF to see how their efforts can be co-ordinated in the best possible way. As far as fish is concerned the position is as I have outlined.

Do I take it that this Minister of State has responsibility for supervision of the insurance sector also?

Subject to the overall responsibility of the Minister who is the ultimate arbiter in all policy matters.