asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state the number of tractors supplied to County Wexford by his Department; if he will give the names of the people who got them; in what parts of the county they are, and on what terms they are hired to neighbouring farmers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Supply of Tractors in County Wexford.
Three agricultural tractors were allotted by my Department in County Wexford to Shelburne Co-operative Agricultural Society, Limited, Campile; Enniscorthy Co-operative Agricultural Society, Limited, Enniscorthy; John Sinnott, Garrywilliam House, Crossabeg, Wexford. I have no information regarding the terms on which the machines are hired to neighbouring farmers, but it was understood that the charges would be reasonable and in keeping with those usually obtaining in each district.
Arising out of the Minister's reply regarding the co-operative societies, the tractors may be doing work for the farmers, but in regard to the tractor at Crossabeg, I think——
Has the Deputy a question to put? He is stating his views which may be interesting but they are not relevant.
They are very interesting. Does the Minister think it right that a farmer should not go out with his tractor simply because he cannot afford to go out himself, and he will not allow anybody else to drive it? Is that in the interests of the small farmers who would like to have the use of these tractors? The person who has the tractor has refused to give it, although it is lying idle on his farm.
Will the Minister say what were the considerations that governed the Minister's decision in allocating these tractors?
The considerations were, as I explained before, to allocate them as far as possible to the men who would use them most. There was a letter issued to these men in which it was stated that, as they were getting these machines at a very low price, comparatively speaking, it was expected that they would make their charges for contracts or hire work as reasonable as possible, and that they would hire them as far as possible.
Will the Minister say whether he was influenced by any political considerations?
Oh, not at all!
The names sound very familiar.
Suppose a tractor having been allocated to one of these non-political individuals whom the Minister envisaged and the non-political individual simply does not bring it out and will not go out for his neighbours when his neighbours want it and the tractor is otherwise lying idle, is there any means whereby a small farmer, desiring to avail himself of the services of the tractor, can bring pressure to bear on the owner either to work it himself for hire or lend it out for hire to a driver provided by the small farmer?
No. That was considered very fully but we felt that we had to give these tractors on complete ownership to the persons getting them but they were told that it was expected that they would make the best possible use of them. We did, wherever possible, give them to co-operative societies because they will hire them out all the time. I might add for Deputy Hughes' benefit, that the third tractor was given to the Wexford Co-operative Society and the Wexford Co-operative Society nominated one of their members and I, agreeing that the member nominated by them was a very desirable candidate, agreed that he should get the tractor.
Can the Minister account for the extraordinary coincidence that the names mentioned are the names of well-known supporters of himself and well-known workers for himself.
That is only a coincidence.
Should the fact of his being a Government supporter debar him from being considered?
Would it not have been possible to enter into a binding contract with these people in view of the fact that they were getting this machinery at considerably less than its market value?
I have answered that already.
I should like to ask the Minister is he prepared to investigate this matter and report to the county manager that his brother, who has the tractor, should see that the farmers will get it if they want it?
Now we see the point.