asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will take action towards guaranteeing that licensed retail victuallers will get supplies of beef and mutton for the home market at a price which will give them a fair return on their capital and a just profit; enable them to pay a fair wage to their workers; and finally permit them to sell the meat at a price which Irish housewives can reasonably afford to pay.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Price of Beef and Mutton.
Mr. Byrne
Action on the lines suggested is not required in order to achieve the purposes specified.
Mr. Byrne
Is anything being done to safeguard the home consumer so that he will get his meat supplies at a reasonable price?
I am not quite clear as to the substance of the Deputy's supplementary. Does he suggest that the price of the farmer's produce should be depressed or reduced by Ministerial action?
Mr. Byrne
No. I suggest that the Dublin consumers, the Irish consumers, should not be deprived of their meat supplies because of their inability to compete with the continental buyer who is giving a higher price for our meat supplies, with a likelihood of taking more than is necessary and leaving our own consumers short because of the inadequacy of their wages to pay for their meat as against the competitor on the Continent who is being subsidised by the Government.
There has been no evidence so far of the home consumer being left without beef.
Mr. Byrne
It has been stated by the representatives of the licensed victuallers that they may have to go out of business if there is not some control put on the competitive prices they have to pay for beef and mutton because of the high prices the continental buyer is able to give—buying it illegally, too.
Statements have been made by a number of people, but no Minister can take responsibility for all these statements.
Mr. Byrne
Will the matter be kept under observation?
It will.