asked the Minister for Agriculture what was the average price per cow paid in compensation to suppliers of Ballingarry Co-operative Creamery for dairy cows slaughtered during the period of foot-and-mouth disease last year; and why were those suppliers not allowed to re-stock from May 14th, 1941, to December 1st, 1941.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Ballingarry Co-operative Creamery.
The average rate of compensation paid to suppliers of Ballingarry Creamery in respect of all cows slaughtered was between £19 and £20.
The date on which re-stocking was permitted in the Ballingarry area had to be postponed owing to successive outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in or near Ballingarry district.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state (a) whether the case presented to him by the committee of Ballingarry Co-operative Creamery for compensation for dairy cows slaughtered during foot-and-mouth disease in 1941 was considered by his Department; and (b) whether in reviewing those cases the officers of his Department took into consideration the fact that the ports were opened for the export of in-calf heifers before those people were allowed to re-stock; and (c) whether any representative of those people was given an opportunity to state their case for greater compensation when the matter was under review.
The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative; as regards the second part, consideration was given to this matter but as a fair market value was allowed at the time of the actual slaughter of the animals I was not satisfied that there were adequate grounds for further payments; as regards the final query, I did receive a deputation from the Ballingarry area and considered the representations made by them.
Arising out of the Minister's reply, did the Minister think it was fair to give to those people only the price obtaining when there was no export trade, and to allow them to restock only when the export trade had restarted? The Minister promised the deputation that he would go into that matter. Those people got £19 for their cows, and had to buy in-calf heifers for £6 or £7 more after the ports had been opened by the British. Does the Minister think that that was fair or will he look into the matter? I think that those people were most unfairly dealt with. Their land was idle for six months, and then they had to buy in the open market when cattle had gone up £6 or £7 a head.
I do not entirely agree with the Deputy. Under the Diseases of Animals Acts it is laid down that a fair market value will be paid in case of slaughter, and there is no reference to the period of restocking. In all probability, those who got compensation previous to that got more than the value, and those in the Ballingarry area got at least the value of the cattle at the time they were slaughtered. They were in a position to restock before there was any export of milch cows or young heifers.
I want to remind the Minister that they were not. They were allowed to take one or two head of cattle——
If the Deputy has a supplementary question to ask, he should do so.
I want to remind the Minister that, when he met this deputation, he promised to review the matter on the grounds which I have stated. Will the Minister carry out the promise which he made to those people? I am sure his mind must be the same now as it was at the time he made that promise.
I did undertake to review those cases in the light of the arguments put forward by the deputation, but, having reviewed all the cases, I came to the conclusion that those people had been fairly dealt with.