asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if agricultural statistics relating to the EEC, such as production, consumption, import and export figures, are available to him and his Department; and, if so, the circumstances under which and the manner in which he acquires them.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Agricultural Statistics.
11.
Comprehensive agricultural statistics of the kind referred to by the Deputy relating to member States and to the Community as a whole are published periodically by the statistical office of the European Communities in Luxembourg. Copies of these publications are acquired regularly by my Department in the normal way.
Will the Minister and his Department make this information available to Deputies if they write to the Department, or at Question Time in this House?
Whatever information there is is in the Library. Most of these publications are available in the Library.
Will the Minister make that information available to Deputies at Question Time.
The usual thing for a Minister to say is that the Deputy can get the information in the Library.
Will the Minister make this information available to Deputies in the House if they put down questions?
It might not be possible, without giving answers a mile long on some of these matters, to give the information a Deputy might be seeking.
Could the Minister give reasonable information on questions?
I am anxious to give the maximum amount of information to Deputies at all times.
Through questions?
Yes, through questions.
Question No. 12.
Would the Minister not agree—in view of what has been said already in reply to other questions and in view also of the supplementary question Deputy Callanan posed, that it is a very important function of the Minister in the House to make information available.
Yes.
The Minister will agree, it is probably through Question Time and looking up reports that many organisations get this detailed information and that it is a much more important exercise than the Minister seems to appreciate at present?
I have not so far refused any Deputy any information available to me.
Would the Minister convey that to the Ceann Comhairle's office?
I am not criticising the Ceann Comhairle. I find I get the greatest co-operation from him.
Of course, the Minister does. Is the Minister aware that the Ceann Comhairle has refused to allow questions of mine to the Minister —for statistical information—on the basis that the Minister has no responsibility therefor?
I am quite sure that what the Ceann Comhairle is doing is following precedent over the years in the Chair.
Would the Minister agree it is time to change this precedent now that we are in the EEC?
I am quite sure that if that is changed the Ceann Comhairle will change also.
With regard to the question posed by Deputy Dr. Gibbons about information, is there a lot of this information available yet, or are they merely commencing to compile such information?
No, it is available; it is in the Library but some of it is of a very technical nature and quite difficult to follow.
As far as consumption is concerned, I doubt if there is much information available. I am claiming that in Brussels not sufficient of this has been done. That is the question I put to the Minister a short while ago and he agreed with me that they are only commencing to do so.
Question No. 12.
These are facts.
I am not sure that the Deputy is correct in that.