I move:—
Go bhfuil sé oriúnach binse do bhunú chun fiosruithe do dhéanamh i dtaobh ní áirithe go bhfuil práinn agus tácht phuiblí ag baint leis, sé sin le rá:—
(1) an staid ina bhfuil an scéal fé láthair maidir le muca do thógaint i Saorstát Eireann agus maidir leis na tionnscail agus na ceárda bhaineann le muca beo, feoil mhuice, úr no leasuithe, agus torthaí eile muice;
(2) na nithe is gá chun cabhruithe le tógaint muc chó mór feabhas agus chó líonmhar san go mbeidh oiread díobh ann i gcomhnaí agus a theastóidh i gcóir an mhargaidh sa bhaile agus fós is gá i gcóir easportála agus, san am gcéanna, go mbeidh brabús fónta le fáil do ghnáth ag lucht muc do thógaint agus acu súd a bhíonn ag deighleáil le feoil mhuice agus torthaí eile muice;
(3) molta, chun athchóirithe do dhéanamh ar thionnscal na muc do thógaint agus an bhagúin do leasú, a chuirfidh Uachtarán na hArd-Chomhairle fé bhráid an bhinse chun a mbreithnithe;
(4) ag féachaint do leas an naisiúin, na nithe be cheart do dheanamh—
(a) chun daoine do spriocadh chun muc do thógaint de shaghas agus de cháilíocht a bheidh oiriúnach agus ionannach i gcóir ceárd an bhagúin agus na muicfheola,
(b) chun a chur in usacht muca bheidh le caitheamh sa bhaile no le heasportáil do chur ar an margadh agus chun san do rialáil sa tslí is fearr,
(c) chun a chur in áirithe, i slí ina mbeidh brabús fónta as, go dtáirgfear bagún agus déantúisí eile de thorthaí muice chó mór feabhas agus is gá i gcóir na margaí i mbaile agus i gcéin.
(d) chun rialáil do réir sláinteolais do dhéanamh ar an gcuma ina ndeintear muca do thógaint agus ar an iniúchadh dheineann máinleagha beithíoch roimh bhás agus tar éis bháis ar mhuca marbhuíotar chun bagúin agus muicfheola do chur ar fáil do sna margaí i mbaile agus i gcéin;
(5) conus ba cheart easportáil muca bco, bagúin agus muicfheola do stiúradh, ag féachaint do sna nithe do rinneadh no déanfar chun caindíochtaí na n-earraí sin ar mhargaí i gcéin do rialáil;
(6) éinní is dóich leis an mbinse bhaineann le leas tionnscail na muc agus an bhagúin;
(7) an córas riaracháin is gá chun molta an bhinse do chur i bhfeidhm.
That it is expedient that a tribunal be established for the purpose of enquiring into a definite matter of urgent public importance, that is to say:—
(1) the present position of pig production in Saorstát Eireann and of the industries and trades dealing with live pigs, pig meat, whether fresh or cured, and other pig products;
(2) the measures requisite to promote the production of pigs of the quality and in numbers calculated to ensure the maintenance of output at a point which will supply, constantly, the demand of the home market and provide for the requirements of the export trade while giving a steady economic return to producers of pigs and those engaged in the handling of pig meats and other pig products;
(3) proposals for the reorganisation of the pig raising and bacon-curing industry which may be referred to the tribunal by the President of the Executive Council for consideration;
(4) the measures which, having regard to the national interests, should be taken to—
(a) encourage the production of pigs of suitable and uniform type and quality for the bacon and pork trades.
(b) facilitate and regulate in the most efficient manner the marketing of pigs intended for home consumption, or for export,
(c) ensure the economic production of bacon and other manufactured pig products of a quality suited to the needs of the home and export markets,
(d) regulate hygienically the conditions under which pig husbandry is carried on and the veterinary inspection ante and post mortem of pigs slaughtered for the home and export bacon and pork trades;
(5) the manner in which the exports of live pigs, bacon and pork should be controlled in view of the measures which have been or may be adopted for regulating quantitatively supplies of these commodities on extern markets;
(6) any matter which, in the opinion of the tribunal, affects the welfare of the pig and bacon industry;
(7) the administrative machinery necessary to give effect to the tribunal's recommendations.
This resolution is introduced for the purpose of setting up a tribunal to examine into the whole pig and bacon industry. For the last nine months, we have had frequent discussions with those interested in the pig industry— curers, wholesalers and producers. All those interested in the industry feel that something should be done to improve matters with regard, particularly, to stabilisation of prices. These discussions have gone on for a long time and a number of suggestions have been put up to deal with the problem. The difficulty is to get a competent body to examine these different suggestions and to find out what are the implications and what are the advantages and disadvantages likely to arise from adopting any one of them. It is quite obvious that in a complicated matter of this kind the Minister himself would not be a judge. The Department officials also feel that before any conclusion could be come to additional information would be necessary from those concerned— curers, wholesalers, retailers, producers and others. The only way in which that information can be got is by means of a tribunal set up in this way. This tribunal could have the same status as say the Tariff Commission, and would be in the position of sending for witnesses and compelling them, if necessary, to produce documents. Owing to low world prices for some time the difficulties of the pig producer have been very serious. Unless we can get a reasonable price for the producer we cannot hope to have a steady supply of bacon on the market. As Deputies are aware there are various outlets for pigs in this country, the biggest outlet, of course, both now and for some time, being the home market. That is to say, we have consumed at home at any rate for the last five or six years, practically two-thirds of our total output. We have then an outlet for bacon, pork, and live pigs without dealing with the question of bacon, which requires a great deal of minute examination of details, to find out what would be the effect of dealing with bacon, in a certain way, on the fresh pork market, and on the export of live pigs, as well as on the home prices of bacon. If by any chance the quota system comes in on foreign markets— and it has come on many foreign markets—and if it should come on the British market amongst others, possibly we would be limited in the amount of bacon that could be exported. The question then arises whether we could get rid of our live pigs without putting them through the process of bacon, or get rid of them in the form of pork. Taking the difficulties that arise and everything into consideration, schemes that have appeared good to me might not on minute examination turn out to be the best for the producers. I have come to the conclusion that the only way to deal properly with the matter is to set up a statutory tribunal that can examine witnesses, and call for the necessary evidence, in order to have everything sifted out. The tribunal now being set up will of course report and the report will be examined by the Department of Agriculture and the Minister and eventually I suppose by the Government. If they think well the proposals will probably at that stage be laid before the Dáil for its consideration, In appointing this tribunal we are not committed to any policy in the matter whatsoever. The only thing we are asking the leave of the Dáil and the Seanad for is the tribunal to be set up to examine the question. As soon as it is examined and the report presented it is then for the Government to make up their mind what action will be taken. I do not think we have power at present to deal with it in an adequate way. The only power we have is to pay bounties and things like that. If the question has to be dealt with in a big way we shall have of course to come back to the Dáil again.
