asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state the price per cwt. producers may expect to get for their pigs for the next 12 months.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Price of Pigs.
About 190/- per cwt. provided they do not exceed 14 stone dead weight.
For how long?
I wish I knew.
The Minister has already expressed in a public way his intention of maintaining the price at 190/- a cwt. I asked for how long. Could he now say what his hopes are of realising that intention?
What the Deputy asked, if he would read his own question, is: "To ask the Minister for Agriculture if he will state the price per cwt. producers may expect to get for their pigs for the next 12 months." I have answered that question. Now if the Deputy wants to ask another question——
What is the answer?
About 190/- per cwt. provided they do not exceed 14 stone dead weight.
What do you mean by "about"? Is it 190/-?
Precisely what I say— about 190/-.
Is it 180/- or 170/- or 175/-?
The answer is about 190/-.
I have asked a definite question, a Chinn Chomhairle, as to what he thinks the price will be for the next 12 months, and he tells me "about" 190/-. That is not the answer to which the producers are entitled.
The producers are doing a great deal better now than they did for the last 15 years.