asked the Minister for Agriculture whether his attention has been directed to the statistics published in the July number of the Journal of the Department of Agriculture of Great Britain, which show that the current price in Great Britain for bran is £5 2s. 0d. per ton, and for pollard £5 12s. 0d. per ton, while prices for corresponding feeding stuffs in Saorstát Eireann vary between £5 15s. 0d. and £6 5s. 0d., and if so, whether he will take steps to suspend the maize meal mixture scheme until the price of wheaten offals is reduced in Saorstát Eireann?
Ceisteanna.—Questions. Oral Answers. - Prices of Feeding Stuffs.
Dr. Ryan
From the information at my disposal, I am satisfied that the prices of bran and pollard in the Saorstát are, if anything, less than the general run of prices in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. I do not propose to take any steps to reduce the present requirements as to the amount of home-grown grain which must be incorporated in the maize meal mixture.
The Minister has not answered my question. May I ask him if his attention has been directed to the contents of the July number of the Journal of the Department of Agriculture of Great Britain, which show that the current price in Great Britain for bran is £5 2s. per ton, and for pollard £5 12s. per ton, while prices for corresponding feeding stuffs in Saorstát Eireann vary between £5 15s. and £6 5s.?
Dr. Ryan
Yes. I have examined that and all other sources of information with regard to prices, and the prices quoted by the Deputy for this country do not appear to me to be correct. The prices in Great Britain are generally higher than those quoted by the Deputy.
Does the Minister suggest that the statistics published in the Journal of the Department of Agriculture of Great Britain are wrong, and, if he does not, may I inform him that the prices of £5 15s. to £6 5s. are the prices I am paying for these commodities to millers in the Midlands of Ireland, and in Sligo, twice a week for the past three weeks?