asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is aware of the diversion of the cattle trade from North Wall, Dublin, to Northern Ireland ports due to cattle being permitted under licence to be diverted from Dublin to Northern Ireland as stores and then leaving Northern Ireland almost immediately without being fattened, contrary to the licence conditions, and if he will ensure that the cattle traffic is fully restored to normal ports.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Diversion of Cattle Trade.
Mr. Byrne
There is no restriction on the export of store cattle from this country to Northern Ireland and the introduction of any such restriction is not contemplated. The cattle traffic at the Port of Dublin and other Irish ports is highly satisfactory and will, it is hoped, materially expand, but I have no doubt the Deputy will agree with me that, unless the anarchical conditions amongst port workers which have disgraced the Port of Dublin in recent years in connection with the cattle export trade are firmly controlled and put an end to by the appropriate trades union authorities, it is impossible to ignore the inevitable effect on employment at the Port of Dublin consequent on the growing reluctance of foreign shipping lines to use the Port of Dublin for the purpose of live-stock shipping.
Mr. Byrne
Is the Minister's explanation that the diversion of traffic in Dublin is due to some dispute being in progress? My question does not ask anything about a dispute. The cattle are being shipped across the Border to Northern Ireland for fattening, but they are not being fattened and they leave Northern Ireland in a couple of weeks, thus bringing about unemployment in ports of the Twenty-Six Counties.
I should be amazed to hear that there was unemployment at the Port of Dublin, or any other port in Ireland, arising from insufficient shipments of cattle, because the shipments of cattle from our ports have been steadily increasing over the past three years and I anticipate that they will increase still further. I am anxious to see that the Port of Dublin gets its full share of that growing traffic and nothing can prevent the Port of Dublin from getting its full share of that growing traffic, unless the masters of foreign vessels are dissuaded from using the Port of Dublin, and that is a contingency that has to be reckoned with, unless there is a material departure from the conduct that has characterised the port in the past.
Mr. Byrne
I am not speaking about foreign shipping but about North Wall British and Irish ships which are now leaving without the full supply of cattle which they carried a year or two ago. Dockers at the North Wall have told me——
The Deputy is giving information, not asking for it.
Mr. Byrne
Is the Minister aware that it has been stated that these cattle, which formerly went to Northern Ireland——
The Six Counties.
Mr. Byrne
——because of some form of bounty in respect of the fattening of cattle, do not get time to fatten and are sent out in two weeks' time, thus depriving North Wall workers of their share of the traffic?
I can assure the Deputy that that view is mistaken, but I should be very glad if he would afford me an opportunity of discussing it with him and my technical officers with a view to studying actual shipment records for the purpose of clarifying this matter.