asked the Minister for Agriculture whether, in view of the urgent national need for maximum production from the land, he will reconsider the question of agricultural credit with a view to providing the same credit facilities for the restoration of soil fertility as are available for land reclamation under the Land Reclamation Act, 1949.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Soil Fertility.
No. I would refer the Deputy to my previous replies to similar questions asked by him and in particular to my reply of the 17th February, 1949. I see no reason to change the views expressed therein. The Deputy will remember that abundant supplies of fertilisers are now available and can be purchased by solvent farmers on credit from Comhlucht Siúicre Éireann, their local manure merchant or in suitable cases by borrowing from the local branch of a joint stock bank or from the Agricultural Credit Corporation, and all this is in addition to the usual credit facilities made available by cooperative societies to their members and the special facilities available in those counties where the county councils operate the Seeds and Fertilisers (Supply) Acts.
Does the Minister forget that he told me yesterday that the total amount of phosphates applied to land last year was ½ cwt. per acre? Does the Minister think that we can get maximum production on ½ cwt. per acre? Is the Minister aware that one of the highest agricultural experts in this country has stated that 80 per cent. of the land is suffering from soil deficiency, incapable of maximum production?
I do not share the view that it is a prudent policy to spread phosphate on the top of arid mountain and, therefore, the calculation with which the Deputy has favoured us is subject to correction.
I made no reference whatever to mountain land. I am referring to purely agricultural land and the expert of the Minister's Department whom I have quoted was referring to purely agricultural land. The Minister knows that.