asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will outline the trade fair programme for 1974; and if he will comment on this country's non-representation at the Paris Food Fair.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Trade Fair Programme.
189.
During 1974 Córas Tráchtála plan to organise Irish stands in 23 fairs and exhibitions abroad among them being the SIAL Food Fair in Paris in November. This fair is generally regarded as the most important fair in France in 1974 for Irish food producers. Participation in any fair, including the Paris Agricultural Fair held earlier this month, in which Irish interests decided not to particpate, is a matter for the exporters concerned in the first instance.
Is the reason for the non-participation in the recent agricultural fair in Paris the Government's refusal to make the necessary funds available?
The agricultural fair is regarded as mainly a consumer's fair rather than a trade fair and, as such, it is not regarded by Córas Tráchtála as a priority project in which participation on a national level should be organised and the Government acted on the recommendations of Córas Tráchtála.
Surely, if it is of more interest to consumers, that is all the more reason why Córas Tráchtála should be interested.
Córas Tráchtála regard it as more important, apparently more suited to what it is trying to do, to have its stand at the Salle Internationale des Alimentations which is a very important international food fair as, I am sure, the Deputy is aware, and in Paris in November Córas Tráchtála have had a stand at that event since 1967 and will have a major stand at this year's fair. I take it CTT has to allocate rather scarce resources according to its judgement of what the relative utility is of the various fairs and exhibitions and I certainly would not be inclined to query that body's judgment.
The Minister will answer a thing like that but he will not answer ordinary questions put to him, in the hope, I suppose, that he will go to Paris with them.