asked the Minister for Agriculture when it is hoped to expand the parish plan to the country generally.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Parish Plan Extension.
Mr. Walsh
There is no parish plan at present in operation. As I stated in the House on the 15th November last in reply to a question by Deputy Roddy on this subject, it is not my intention to proceed with the parish plan as envisaged by the previous Administration. Instead, I am asking the county committees of agriculture to employ increased numbers of instructors in agriculture and I am prepared to facilitate them as far as I can in doing so.
In view of the fact that the one parish in which this plan was put into operation—that is a parish of Bansha—was able to replace all uneconomic cows without any cost to the Exchequer, thereby tackling the dairying problem at the root, would the Minister not reconsider his foolhardy decision and allow the development of the parish plan throughout the country?
Mr. Walsh
That was not a parish plan as envisaged by the former Administration.
The parish plan was tackling the basic problem in relation to the dairying industry, namely, the improvement of the yield. Is it not a fact that the parish of Bansha had 760 odd uneconomic cows replaced without a halfpenny cost to the Exchequer by three year old in-calf heifers, in calf to a 2,000 guinea milk strain bull?
Mr. Walsh
No.
That is so.
It is a fact and the Minister does not know it.