asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he will inquire of the Bacon Marketing Board whether they have taken any steps to fix prices for bacon on the home market at a figure designed to subsidise exports of bacon to foreign markets, thereby sparing the Exchequer the cost of bounties on bacon exports which would otherwise be necessary.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Bounties on Bacon Exports.
Dr. Ryan
The Bacon Marketing Board have not been given power under the Pigs and Bacon Act, 1935, to fix prices for bacon on the home market.
Arising out of the Minister's reply, may I say that he is deliberately trying to evade his responsibility by refusing to answer questions put on the Order Paper? The question that I asked the Minister was if he would inquire of the Bacon Marketing Board whether they had taken any steps to fix prices for bacon on the home market at a figure designed to subsidise exports of bacon to foreign markets, thereby sparing the Exchequer the cost of bounties on bacon exports which would otherwise be necessary. Will the Minister make that inquiry?
Dr. Ryan
Yes. I have done so.
The Minister has done so. Will he now tell us what the board told him?
Dr. Ryan
I have already told the Deputy that the Bacon Marketing Board have not been given power under the Pigs and Bacon Act of 1935 to fix prices for bacon on the home market.
I would not have put down the question on the Order Paper only that I know that they have not that power and that they have acted ultra vires. They have entered into a conspiracy artificially to raise the price of bacon in this country in order to relieve the Exchequer of bounties on bacon exports. I have asked the Minister to inquire into that: to ask them if they have used the machinery of the Bacon Marketing Board for doing a thing that they have no statutory right to do, and to require them to render an explanation of their action in that regard. Will the Minister do that?
Dr. Ryan
I have no power.
Has not the Bacon Marketing Board power so to regulate supplies on the home market as to fix the price on the home market? Will the Minister deny that?
Dr. Ryan
That is based on an economic theory.
It is based on fact and not on theory, and will the Minister deny it?
Dr. Ryan
It is not based on law.
Will the Minister say whether his attention has not been drawn to the fact that a document has been drawn up fixing the price for bacon in Saorstát Eireann; that the Bacon Marketing Board have no statutory power to do that, and that steps have been taken to get agreement amongst the members of the Bacon Marketing Board to enforce that price against the Irish consumer?
Dr. Ryan
It may be quite true that they have asked the bacon factories to agree to a certain price, but they have no power to enforce it.
Will the Minister take steps to see that the Bacon Marketing Board machinery is not used for the purpose of exploiting consumers in this country in order to relieve the Exchequer? I have asked the Minister categorically will he see that the machinery of the Bacon Marketing Board shall not be used for that purpose?
Dr. Ryan
No.