asked the Minister for Agriculture if it is proposed to establish a cattle artificial insemination centre in County Donegal.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Artificial Insemination Centres.
Mr. Walsh
The establishment in County Donegal of a cattle artificial insemination station is not contemplated at present. It is necessary to employ the available resources to best advantage by commencing in areas where there is a high concentration of dairy cattle.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if it is the intention of his Department to have an artificial insemination centre established in North Tipperary.
Mr. Walsh
My Department is cooperating at present in exploring certain possibilities of providing an artificial insemination service for cattle in an area which includes North Tipperary.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state (a) the different breeds of bulls retained for service at the Government artificial insemination stations in Eire at present; (b) the number of stations, and (c) the result aimed at by the establishment of the stations.
Mr. Walsh
(a) Dairy Shorthorn and Kerry bulls are at present kept at the artificial insemination station on my Department's farm at Grange, County Meath; and Dairy Shorthorn bulls are kept at the artificial insemination station on my Department's agricultural school farm at Clonakilty, County Cork.
(b) In addition to the foregoing two stations and also two sub-stations attached to the Grange station, there are at present three other main stations and nine sub-stations.
(c) The benefits of artificial insemination include a better opportunity of widely and rapidly improving the general quality of cattle by breeding many more animals from high-class bulls and of controlling transmissible bovine diseases.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he has received a resolution from the Cork County Committee of Agriculture requesting that an artificial insemination station or centre be established in the Cork milk production area and that at least one Friesian bull be provided at the centre; and, if so, if he will state what action he is taking in the matter.
Mr. Walsh
I have received the resolution referred to in the question and have informed the County Cork Committee of Agriculture that the provision in the Cork milk production area of a sub-station to the Department's insemination station at Clonakilty is under consideration. In this connection I would refer the Deputy to my recent remarks in the Seanad on the Second Stage of the Milk (Regulation of Supply and Price) (Amendment) Bill.
Might I ask the Minister if it is intended to keep a Friesian bull at the Clonakilty Station?
Mr. Walsh
That is a separate question.
I think it is the principal question.