asked the Minister for Lands and Agriculture whether his attention has been called to a report published in the "Irish Independent" of the 18th January, 1927, to the effect that a Copenhagen message says the National "Tidende" publishes a telegram from its London correspondent asserting that inquiries made by a Danish slaughterhouse proprietor, M. Noergaard, has indicated that large quantities of Russian, Swedish, Dutch and Polish bacon imported into Great Britain had never been sold retail as such, but had been sold either as Irish or Danish; and whether his Department has taken any steps to ascertain the accuracy of the statement, with a view to prosecuting those fraudulent retailers who are doing such injury to the Irish bacon trade, and if the Minister will state the number of prosecutions instituted against traders in Great Britain through the instrumentality of the Department's Inspectors during the three years ended 1st November, 1926, in respect of the fraudulent sale in England of foreign butter, bacon and eggs as Irish produce, the number of convictions obtained, and the amount of fines imposed.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - SALE OF FOREIGN BACON.
Mr. HOGAN
The Department have observed the statement referred to, and have made an inquiry into the matter through the Trade Commissioner, High Commissioner's Office. No prosecutions in respect of fraud on Irish butter, bacon or eggs have been undertaken by the High Commissioner's Office during the period referred to.
Arising out of the Minister's answer, I desire to ask him whether it is the intention in the near future of this Government to introduce in this country a Merchandise Marks Act, in order to safeguard Irish producers and to see that foreign produce coming into the country will be labelled and sold as such.
Mr. HOGAN
The allegation here is that Irish produce has been sold in England as, say, Danish. That is another question. As a rule I do not think that Irish people are very anxious to sell Irish produce as Danish in England. I do not think that has happened very often. With regard to the Deputy's last question as to what we are to do with regard to foreign produce sold here as Irish, that is another question, and does not arise out of this. I think we have sufficient powers—we have exercised them in a few cases—in regard to bacon. It is not so much that we have not remedies when we do discover cases, but rather the difficulty is to discover cases. I understand that a Merchandise Marks Act will be introduced for this country.
Is the Minister aware that previous to the setting up of the Saorstát, inspectors belonging to the Department used to visit Great Britain? I can show him that within twelve months forty-one prosecutions took place as a result of these inspections, and that heavy fines were inflicted in Great Britain. It is a well known fact that a lot of foreign bacon, as has been stated in the Danish journal, is being sold at the present time as Irish in Great Britain. There is also a great danger—in fact there are a lot of rumours to this effect—of its being sold here in Dublin. Of course I know it is very hard to detect that. I know that previous to the Treaty inspectors from the Department here used to visit England with a view to making inspections.
Will the Minister say if the British Merchandise Marks Act is not still in operation in Ireland?
Mr. HOGAN
The High Commissioner's Office deals with these matters. A Trade Commissioner has recently been appointed and there are some inspectors. We thought it right to appoint a trade inspector and let him say what establishment is necessary. That is all that is occurring. Although it is only an opinion, I do not believe that foreign bacon is being sold to any extent in Great Britain as Irish. A firm like Denny's, or any of the big firms operating in England, would not allow that, and they would bring such a matter to our notice immediately.