asked the Taoiseach the value of wool imports for each of the last five years; the value of wool exports for each of the last five years; and the percentage of the home market needs being supplied by processors in Ireland.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Wool Imports and Exports.
2.
, Dún Laoghaire): While the precise information on market shares is not available, certain information on component flows exists. I propose to circulate a statement showing the value of imports, exports and domestic output of wool (raw) for the years 1980 to 1984. Following is the statement;
Wool (raw) £ million
|
Imports(C.I.F.)* |
Exports(F.O.B.)* |
DomesticOutput † |
|
|
1980 |
12.4 |
8.4 |
7.3 |
|
1981 |
12.8 |
9.7 |
8.1 |
|
1982 |
11.9 |
9.7 |
8.7 |
|
1983 |
10.8 |
12.6 |
9.1 |
|
1984 |
14.1 |
14.4 |
10.9 |
* Values returned in external trade statistics
† Estimated
Will the Minister of State read out the statistics for us so that we can ask supplementaries?
I have taken the view rather firmly that when a reply is by way of written statement we do not have supplementaries on it. I ask the Deputy to accept that.
There is a serious imbalance between imports and exports of processed wool. There is an urgent need for measures to be taken by the Minister for Agriculture to rectify that matter.
A question please, Deputy.
Effectively I am precluded from asking supplementary questions if the Minister will not give the relevant statistics to the House.
If the Deputy will bear with the Chair for a moment. He has just shown why supplementaries are not in order on a statistical question. The Minister of State at the Taoiseach's Department gives statistics but he has nothing to do with policy. As the Deputy rightly said, his other questions would be directed to the Minister for Agriculture. He can put down a question to him.
The Minister of State replied to the previous question.
That is different.
The Minister for Agriculture is in the House and he could intervene.
The Deputy may take it that the Chair is in order.