asked the Taoiseach the amount of hardboard, in tons and square feet, imported into this country from 1 January 1978 to 1 January 1979 or latest date for which figures are available.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Hardboard Imports.
8.
In the 11-month period January-November 1978 imports of hardboard amounted to 1,883 tons, measuring 6.2 million square feet.
How much of this came from EEC countries? How much that came from elsewhere came through EEC countries and how much of this board was subsidised in the country of its origin?
Those are separate questions.
I have none of those replies because those questions were not asked.
In view of the amount of over 1 million square feet of hardboard imported last year, has the Minister of State, through the inter-departmental committee which has been working on the timber industry, any proposals for producing this board in this country?
Does not the answer which the Minister of State has given completely take the ground from under the feet of the two existing mills we have in this country whose capacity is said to be such that we do not require any further capacity and that is why all of the timber thinnings and otherwise from the north-west have been exported to the Six Counties, treated, taken back in here and sold?
One cannot draw conclusions from it. I have been asked a statistical question and I have given the reply. I might point out that the information I have here does indicate that the amount of importation of hardboard during that period from January to November of last year was less in both weight and square footage than the importations in the corresponding period in the previous year.
That surely is because of lesser usage, not because of lesser requirement.
Question No. 9.
Could I ask one further supplementary? In view of the size of the import, whether it was less or more than last year—and it will be more this year because there has been a cessation of production of hardboard in this country—has the Minister of State through the inter-departmental committee working on the timber industry any plans for producing hardboard in this country?
That question would be more appropriately addressed to the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry.
He will be asked that.
It has nothing to do with the question here.
Do the figures in the Minister's reply refer to this country or to the Republic of Ireland? I hear Deputy Blaney talking about this country and the Minister replying. Have we now agreed that this country is the Twenty-six Counties, the Republic of Ireland?
(Interruptions.)
Order, please.
Are the figures related to this country or to the Republic of Ireland?
The Deputy is being facetious now.
I am not being facetious. I am being very factual.
Question No. 9.