asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state whether he has discussed with the British Ministry of Food the question of designating some centre in the Six Counties at which any surplus bacon pigs might in future be disposed of by producers in the Republic.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Disposal of Surplus Pigs.
The answer is "No".
I want to know why is the answer "No"? Does the Minister not realise that if a situation similar to the one which, apparently, according to his statement, existed on the 25th October, exists now, it would be important in the future to have a centre designated in the Six-County territory at which our farmers could sell their surplus fat pigs and store pigs at profitable prices? Does he realise that as a result of his failure to secure their profitable sale elsewhere it is his duty to remove the ban on the exports of these animals, particularly since he admitted that there is no alternative means of disposing of them?
I think there is a most remunerative market at present for our entire pig production on the domestic market. I have had to cancel the sale which I made to Germany of pork carcases for the want of pork to fill the order, and I can assure the Deputy that he can exhort his neighbours to double, treble and quadruple their production in the virtual certainty that the price will continue to range between 190/- and 200/- per cwt. until the grandchild of the youngest pig in Ireland is slaughtered, cured and consumed.
Is it not a fact that the price at which we will be obliged to sell to Britain is 217/- and is it not a fact that we could to-day sell our fat pigs in the Six Counties at 260/-? Will the Minister say why it is, in view of his admission that we are under no obligation to impose that ban, he insists on denying to producers here that profitable market?
I thought it was the Deputy's firm conviction that the first charge on Irish land was to feed the people of Ireland? Has the Deputy departed from that policy? If he has, I feel sure the leader of the Opposition will have a word to say to him.
Arising out of the Minister's decision to prevent farmers getting 260/- across the border, will he say if that policy arises out of the declaration of the Minister for External Affairs to give the British cheap cattle when we could get a better price on the Continent?
There is no restriction on the shipping of cattle to the Continent.