asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state the nature of the inquiry held at Cromane, County Kerry, in August, 1941, relating to the export and purification of mussels, the nature of the report thereon presented to him and the action taken on such report; whether he will further state who is responsible for the erection in the district of a purification tank, the quantity of mussels which can be dealt with weekly by the tank and the average price paid to the fishermen for the mussels sold to the purification tank; further, whether he is aware that 85 boats and almost 200 fishermen are employed in the adjacent bay in the work of gathering mussels, that in existing conditions their earnings are negligible and that these men believe if they were permitted to follow their occupations in the same manner as they had done for more than 50 years they could earn a decent livelihood for themselves and their families, and whether in the circumstances he will state whether it has been made obligatory on the men to dispose of their catch through the purification tank and if so, and if it is necessary to continue this practice, whether he will take steps to enlarge the capacity of the tank to deal with the maximum catch.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Exports of Mussels.
The inquiry was a public inquiry under the Fisheries Acts. On consideration of the report presented by the officers who held the inquiry, and having regard to public health regulations at the markets to which consignments of such shellfish were being sent, I decided to make a by-law (No. 446), the effect of which was twofold. First, it prohibited the sale or distribution for human consumption of mussels taken from any part of a specified area, except mussels that had been treated at the approved plant at Cromane, and second, it prescribed that mussels sold or distributed for other purposes (e.g., for use as bait) should be labelled "bait mussels, not for human consumption". I am sending the Deputy a copy of the by-law. The purification plant at Cromane was erected by the Irish Sea Fisheries Association, Limited. I am informed by the Association that the plant can deal with up to 900 cwts of mussels a week and that the current price paid for mussels delivered at the plant is 4/- a cwt. Some 50 boats deliver an average of 18 cwts. a week and the weekly earnings of a boat may run to 75/- or more. I am informed that there are, in addition, about 20 boats, some of them newcomers to the business, which engage in dredging for mussels. It is to be borne in mind that there is an outlet at many points across channel for mussels for use as bait; so that those unable to market this shellfish for human consumption, can dispose of their takings to advantage as bait—although at a somewhat lower price. There is no obligation upon any mussel dredger to dispose of his catch through the purification plant; but it has been made clear, in response to inquiries on the subject from prospective buyers in British markets, that no guarantee of freedom from pollution can attach to any mussels save those treated in the plant. This plant, which cost a good deal, was not erected for profit-making, but rather to meet a threatened closure of all British markets against our mussels; and until further experience has been had of its costings under working conditions, I cannot make any promise as to outlay being incurred on an extension of the structure.