asked the Minister for External Affairs whether he is aware that the Economic Committee of the League of Nations summoned a meeting of Agricultural Experts from various State Members to advise as to means of coping with the general agricultural depression; whether the Irish Free State was represented at that meeting; if not, whether the Saorstát Government took steps to have the Free State point of view on the various questions which came before the experts submitted to them; and, if not, if he will state the reason why.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Agricultural Depression.
A report has been received from the Secretary-General of the League of Nations regarding the meeting of Agricultural Experts which was summoned by the Economic Committee of the League to meet last month in Geneva. The personnel of this meeting was determined by the Economic Committee in consultation with the International Institute of Agriculture. It was composed, not of representatives of Governments, but of experts appointed on personal grounds as being familiar with the general problems of agricultural economy, and already in close contact with the work of the League and with the International Institute. It was not practicable, in the circumstances, for the Irish Government to take any part in the proceedings of the meeting.
No Irish expert was invited to attend the meeting, nor is there at present any Irish member on the Economic Committee, which selected the experts, and which is itself a Committee of Experts and not of representatives of Governments.
I may add, however, that the question whether it would be possible to secure on the committees concerned the appointment of experts familiar with the economic problems of this country, if such a course were desirable, is at present under consideration.