asked the Minister for Agriculture whether his attention has been directed to the statement of Mr. Stephen O'Mara in the Press of Friday, February 24th, to the effect that one of the two chief causes for the high prices of bacon in Ireland was the encouragement given to the Bacon Board to fix minimum prices for bacon; and, if so, whether the Minister or his Department was responsible for this advice.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Bacon Prices.
My attention has been called to the statement to which the Deputy refers. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.
Does the Minister intend to make any inquiries with a view to ascertaining whence came the advice to fix a minimum price for bacon by which the curers seek to excuse the excess profits which the Prices Commission report them to have made?
Well, I am not so sure that I have power to demand informattion of that kind, but again this question I hope will be coming up in the Dáil within, say, two months anyway when we are discussing alternative legislation.
The Minister will undoubtedly realise that a categorical statement in public that advice was given to export too large a quantity of bacon to Great Britain, and to fix a minimum price, suggests that the advice came from his Department. Is the Minister aware that such advice would not be in accordance with the law, and, if an innuendo is made that the Minister or his Department gave advice which is not in accordance with the law, does not the Minister think it necessary to rectify that suggestion in the public mind, and to require the author of it to explain it or amplify it?
I do not want to leave any misunderstanding. With regard to the amount of bacon exported, that was decided by me after consultation with the bacon trade.
Quite.
And, therefore, the board have no responsibility other than the advice they gave before the quota was fixed. On the second point, with regard to the fixing of prices, neither I nor any officer of my Department had any responsibility whatever for that.