asked the Minister for Agriculture whether his attention has been drawn to the difficulty farmers in Kerry are finding in repaying loans made through credit societies in the years 1925-29 to meet losses of stock caused by fluke, etc; and whether he will have the position reviewed with a view to writing off portion of the sums outstanding, thereby lessening the burden on such farmers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Loans by Credit Societies (Kerry).
Dr. Ryan
It has been represented by some agricultural credit societies to which State advances were made in the years 1925-29 that they were finding difficulty in repaying the outstanding balances of the advances. The amount of the loan made to any individual farmer under the scheme of State advances to those societies was limited to a maximum of £50. In most cases the loan did not amount to this sum, and in many instances was considerably less. Over 76 per cent. of the total sum advanced by the State to the societies has been repaid, indicating that the great majority of the farmers concerned have met their obligations in this respect. I have no reason to think that the remainder are not equally well able to pay their debts to the societies. In the circumstances I am not prepared to take any action with a view to writing off portion of the outstanding sums due by the societies to the State.