asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he is aware that farmers in Skerries, County Dublin, have over 900 barrels of barley unsold; and whether he will arrange to provide a market for them.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Market for Barley.
If the Deputy will let me have particulars of the identity of these farmers and the amount each farmer has for sale, I shall arrange to have inquiries made as to the circumstances in which they experience difficulty and as to what action, if any, my Department may appropriately take.
I am sure the Minister has been aware that a number of farmers in County Dublin were not able to sell their barley and that a number of them who had to sell sold it at a very reduced price.
Is this a question?
I wonder if at this stage the Minister would make some public statement to encourage the farmers of County Dublin because, up to the present time, he has done nothing but discourage them in my constituency. I am talking about the farmers who are anxious to do something.
Perhaps the Deputy did not hear the text of my reply. By your leave, I propose to repeat it for him. If the Deputy will let me have particulars of the identity of these farmers and the amount each farmer has for sale, I shall arrange to have inquiries made as to the circumstances in which they experience difficulty and as to what action, if any, my Department may appropriately take. That goes for the Balbriggan widow as well as anybody else.
Arising out of the Minister's subtle reply, does the Minister think that that class of reply would stop me from making representations on behalf of the people I represent? With reference to his Balbriggan widow, she also has no barley this year. She had oats last year.
She has no barley, has she not? Perhaps her first cousin, the widower, has. If the Deputy will give me the name and address I will call on him.