asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is aware of the great hardship inflicted on farmers by the embargo on the export of mares of the hunter type; and if he will state when this embargo will be removed.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Export of Hunter Mares.
I have no reason to believe that the current restriction on the export of hunter mares is a cause of hardship to farmers, and I am satisfied that it would not be in the interests of the horse-breeding industry at present to permit the unlimited export of mares of the hunter type. The position will be reviewed in due course. The Deputy may not be aware that since July, 1945, licences have been freely made available for the export of mares of all types not exceeding 15.1 hands.
Recently the mares for future breeding purposes have been selected. There is an extraordinarily big number of mares of that type turned out, and are used for agricultural work. They are really undervalued. Until the ports were opened the farmers did not know what to do with them. There is no incentive to have breeding continued when they cannot sell the mares at four or five years of age.
The Deputy did not ask any supplementary question.