asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will say whether, in view of the present price paid in Great Britain for English eggs, viz., 4/3¼d. per dozen, he will take immediate steps to negotiate with the British Minister for Food to step up the price of Irish eggs to the same figure.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Price of Eggs.
I would refer the Deputy to my reply to Deputy Cogan on 21st February last and to the Adjournment Debate on the subject of eggs that took place on the same date. I have nothing to add to the statements I made regarding the price paid for eggs by the British Government, except to say that my forecast that our export of eggs to Britain would be seriously affected by the low prices has been borne out—the quantity of eggs shipped to Britain in the first three months of this year being less than half the quantity shipped in the corresponding three months of 1950. My opinion, furthermore, is that within a few months the export of eggs will cease.
Where is the profitable market you promised the farmers?
The Deputy's agreement has wrought much havoc which I hope to repair.
Where has the 1948 profitable market gone?
It would never have come from the Deputy's agreement.
The Deputy made a very bad job of agriculture, so he should let somebody else talk. Could I take it from the Minister's reply that we could adopt the very same tactics as the Argentinians with the British and let the mountain come to Mahomet if they want a future agreement?
It has never been the policy of this Government to follow the example of foreign Governments. We conducted our negotiations with the British Government on our own procedure and I am not without hope that that eminently successful procedure may yet be employed to repair the damage which was done by ineffective negotiation in the past.
While negotiations were in progress for fixing the price of eggs in Great Britain last year, the Minister publicly praised the offer of 2d. per egg as a good price.
I have nothing to add to the answer.