asked the Minister for Agriculture whether, in view of the fact that the Government have intimated a desire to reduce the fact cattle population, he is prepared to formulate a scheme for the supply of beef free of charge or at a merely nominal price to persons entitled to receive unemployment insurance benefit and unemployment assistance benefit.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Free Beef Scheme.
asked the Minister for Agriculture whether, in view of the fact that the Government have intimated a desire to reduce the fat cattle population, he is prepared to formulate a scheme for the supply of beef, free of charge or at a merely nominal price, to persons entitled to receive home assistance, health insurance benefits, old age and widows' pensions and others receiving assistance under the Medical Charities Acts.
I am answering questions Nos. 36 and 37 together. It is not the desire of the Government to reduce the production of fat cattle below the number which the resources of the country are capable of producing. The further suggestions of the Deputy do not, therefore, arise.
Is the Minister aware that speeches have been made by members of the Government threatening the population generally with a slaughter of live stock because of the difficulty of feeding such live stock? If that slaughter has to take place because of any sudden shortage of animal feeding stuffs, does the Minister not realise that such a slaughter will necessarily cause a serious deterioration in the numbers, and will he now, while there is yet time before this mass slaughter takes place, take steps to organise a supply of meat for our people, either free of charge or at a nominal price?
I am not yet sure that it will be necessary.