asked the Minister for Agriculture if he proposes giving a bounty on the export of sheep and lambs.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Bounty on Sheep and Lambs.
The answer is in the negative.
Arising out of the reply, might I ask if the Minister is aware of the terrible hardship entailed upon the people of Co. Wicklow, due to the sheep industry being practically destroyed? They have lost their markets and the hardships they have to face are almost incredible. I want to know if the Minister is going to take any action to try and relieve their distress.
Could the Minister state his reasons for not giving a bounty on sheep and lambs as well as cattle?
I am aware of the conditions of the sheep owners in Wicklow. With regard to reasons for not giving a bounty, the reasons are usually on the other side—the reasons for giving a bounty. We have got continual applications from the Six Counties to be allowed to import sheep into the Free State free of duty.
I was at a fair to-day in Enniscorthy and the top price for lambs was 14/-. This day twelve months they were selling at 35/-. The Minister and his colleagues are responsible for that. The Minister stated in Wexford that he could buy lambs in England for 1/-. I think the lambs he could buy in England for 1/- would be like his own wheat—he could eat them himself.