asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state the average anticipated cost per acre in each county of breaking up, etc., and harvesting land newly broken during the coming year under the compulsory tillage scheme.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cost of Compulsory Tillage.
The conditions under which tillage operations are carried out vary so widely as between different districts and even as between different farms in the same district that it is not feasible to furnish the average cost figures asked for in the Deputy's question.
Has the Minister made any estimate as to what the likely cost per acre over the whole country will be?
No. I think that the answer explains how difficult that would be.
Has the Minister made any computation at all as to what the average cost per acre to provide new tillage in connection with his compulsory tillage plan will be?
No.
Has the Minister considered in that regard what the cost to a person with a small compulsory area will be if he has to buy plough and harrow equipment to do the small tillage required for a limited time?
The general question was considered.
On the general question, has the Minister given any consideration to the amount of capital that will be required by farmers to embark on a compulsory tillage plan?
That was considered.
Has the Minister been able to relate the amount of money that will be so necessary to the number of acres that will be newly ploughed up with a view to arriving at the cost per acre?
No.
Can the Minister give the lump figure he has arrived at?
Perhaps I could if a question were put down. The matter was considered from a clerical point of view. An estimate was made of the number of new implements which, we thought, would be required for the whole country, of the amount of manures required and so on. These are, I think, the only matters in respect of which we could give any estimate.