asked the Taoiseach, in respect of each of the years from 1986 to 1988 inclusive and to date in 1989, the total tonnage and value of exports from this country to Egypt of: (a) beef, (b) lamb and (c) mutton.

15.

asked the Taoiseach, in respect of each of the years from 1986 to 1988 inclusive and to date in 1989, the total tonnage and value of exports from this country to Libya of: (a) beef, (b) lamb and (c) mutton.

16.

asked the Taoiseach, in respect of each of the years from 1986 to 1988 inclusive and to date in 1989, the total tonnage and value of exports from this country to Iran of: (a) beef, (b) lamb and (c) mutton.

17.

asked the Taoiseach, in respect of each of the years from 1986 to 1988 inclusive and to date in 1989, the total tonnage and value of exports from this country to Iraq of: (a) beef, (b) lamb and (c) mutton.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 to 17 together and to circulate a tabular statement showing the information on exports of beef requested by the Deputy for the years 1986 to 1988 and January to February 1989 the latest period available.

There were no exports of lamb and mutton to the countries in question during the specified periods.

Following is the statement:

Exports of Beef.

*Provisional.

In general it should be noted that commodity detail from external trade statistics does not include (a) transactions (non-dutiable) of less than £100 for 1986 and £200 for 1987 and 1988 and (b) trade by firms operating in Shannon Free Airport.

Were these exports covered in each instance by export credit insurance from Ireland?

That is a separate question and I am dealing purely with the tabular statement which is available to the Deputy.

Perhaps the Deputy should await submission of the tabular statement.

I have no doubt that the Minister of State knows the answer and I advise him to give it. If these were covered, was export credit insurance available to all firms exporting in this category from Ireland to the four countries?

Matters of policy clearly do not arise on an essentially statistical question.

It is a simple matter of fact that can be answered "yes" or "no".

The Deputy should put down a separate question if be wants this information.

It is noteworthy that it has not been answered.

I suggest that the Deputy puts down a separate question in this regard to the Minister for Industry and Commerce.

Am I correct in assuming that the Minister said that no lamb or mutton was exported from Ireland to Iraq in any of the three years to which the question referred?

There were no exports of lamb or mutton to the countries in question.

We now come to Priority Question No. 18 in the name of Deputy Clohessy to the Minister for Defence.