asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is aware that English farmers are allowed 7/6 and 5/- per cwt. according to grade as a subsidy on fat cattle reared and fed in Great Britain and Northern Ireland and 2/6 only on cattle imported from the Irish Free State, and if he will consider giving a bounty on cattle exported.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Bounty on Exported Cattle.
The British subsidy applicable to fat cattle reared and fed in Great Britain and Northern Ireland is paid at the rates, in terms of liveweight cwt., mentioned by the Deputy in the first part of the question. In respect of cattle imported from the Irish Free State which have been in Great Britain or Northern Ireland for a continuous period of at least three months immediately prior to their submission for grading, the corresponding rates of British subsidy are, however, 5/- and 2/6 per liveweight cwt. respectively.
As regards the latter portion of the question, I would refer the Deputy to the reply which I gave to a question put to me by Deputy Harris on the 27th October, 1937.