asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state the number of pigs sent to curers for the first ten months of 1946, 1947, and in the case of 1948 for the latest available period.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Pig Statistics.
The number of pigs received by bacon curers for curing was 258,734 in the first ten months of 1946, and 190,852 and 184,993 in the corresponding periods of 1947 and 1948.
Has the Minister any explanation of the decline in the number of bacon pigs delivered to curers this year as compared with last year?
Yes. Of course, the question was framed to get a certain reply to indicate that the production of pigs and bacon was falling in this country.
Does it not?
Will the Deputy wait? In order that the Deputy and the House have a clear picture of the position I propose to give the figures of pigs for curing for the last three months of this year and the corresponding three months of each of the two preceding years. August-October, 1946, 86,000; August-October, 1947, 53,000; August-October, 1948, 70,000.
It is still well below 1946.
But not 1947.
1947 was an exceptional year.
And 1946 was below 1938, 1939 and 1940.
I am not really trying to make any point, but am I to understand that the net result of everything done this year has not been to increase the supply of pigs to the factories to the 1946 level?
That is not so. The net result of the position is that the Deputy and other citizens can now get bacon and will have an opportunity of buying 75,000 hams this Christmas.
I understand that the Minister has given the figures of the number of pigs delivered to the bacon curing factories in the last three months of this year. Will the Minister tell the House how many men have been exported from this country during the same period?
I will. Would the Deputy like to know how many were exported during the previous eight years?
Neither question is in order.