asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will make available to the small farmers in the congested areas of West Donegal a fair percentage of the 48,000 tons of superphosphates in stock in July last at the price of £9 10s. 0d. per ton.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Supply of Superphosphates.
It would not be possible to make superphosphates available at the price referred to without payment of a subsidy and it is not my intention to pay such subsidy.
Does the Minister admit that this 48,000 tons does exist?
It does not.
Where has it gone?
I do not know.
Will the Minister be good enough to tell the House was there not left, out of the departmental importation from Holland, with the sugar company last spring 48,000 tons unsold at the end of June of this year, or on the 14th of June when we left office?
I have been searching all the morning for these 48,000 tons as I have been searching for a number of other things which the Deputy claims to have left after him but which I cannot find.
Will the Minister consult the chief inspector of the Department of Agriculture and the general manager of Comhlucht Siúicre Éireann, and I will be bound by the answers they give to him?
I would not feel like replying to the question as I have replied to it if I had not already consulted these gentlemen.
Arising out of the Minister's reply, not only would the members of this House but other people outside would like to know which of the people concerned are telling the truth.
According to my information, there were 27,000 tons of the superphosphates referred to available.
All that we are asking is to get the truth.
I have given you the truth.
Will the Minister say on what date?
In July.
I asked about the 14th of June.
It is July as far as I know.
A transfer may have taken place——
You did not know what you were talking about.
I think the sugar company may have got a transfer of 21,000 tons to be used in compounds for the beet growers this year, but when I left office, there were 48,000 tons there. In July, there were only 27,000 tons, and God knows how much there is there now.
In the question addressed to me, I was asked to state what the position was in July. Naturally, I went back to the date that was mentioned in the question addressed to me, and I have given the House, as far as I have been able to discover it, correct and accurate information.
Question No. 62.
Find out where the other 21,000 tons are.