asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if, in view of the Governmental drive for increased tillage in the country, and the importance of sea sand and seaweed to the farming community along the seaboard of South and West Cork, he will take immediate steps to have restrictions such as have been imposed at Tralong Strand, Rossearbery and other strands similarly situated removed and thereby enable the agricultural community of those localities to avail to the fullest extent of the advantages which they derive from the use of sand and seaweed in the cultivation of crops.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Sea Sand and Seaweed for Farmers.
I am aware of the importance of sea sand and seaweed for use as fertilisers. As I informed the Deputy in reply to a question in April last, there is no intention of restricting unnecessarily the removal of material from State-owned foreshore and, generally speaking, quantities are not restricted except at places where there is danger of encroachment by the sea.
Tralong Strand, Rosscarbery, is definitely an area subject to erosion and I am not prepared to relax the restrictions imposed in that area or at other places where danger of encroachment is present.
The restrictions apply to sand, gravel and stone. Seaweed is obviously in a different category and licences for its removal are freely granted at most places.
With regard to Tralong Strand, the Minister recently stated that dredged sand was available and I agree that it is. But there are at least 200 small farmers who cannot afford to pay 2/6 a load for dredged sand. There is no erosion there any more than there has been for the past 40 or 50 years. Perhaps the Minister would give me an opportunity during the evening to discuss this matter with him because he has only the official viewpoint.
The Deputy must not expect me to override expert advice in a matter of this sort.
The Deputy's opinion might be worth having if the Minister would give me an opportunity of putting it before him.