asked the Minister for Agriculture if his attention has been directed to Press reports of a statement alleged to have been made by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social Welfare at Raharney, County Westmeath, in connection with the manner in which instructors under committees of agriculture discharge their duties; and, if so, whether he has investigated the charges made and what the result of such investigation has been and whether, in view of the publicity given to the statement, he will make a pronouncement on the manner in which these instructors discharge their duties.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Committee of Agriculture Instructors.
I have seen Press references to the statement alleged to have been made by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social Welfare. I did not investigate the matter as I did not consider it appropriate or necessary for me to do so. These instructors are employed, not by my Department but by the county committees of agriculture.
The services of these instructors are available to any farmer who applies for them. If any farmer has a complaint to make about an individual instructor he should address it to the committee of agriculture, whose duty it would be to deal appropriately with the matter.
I should perhaps add that instructors have, in many instances, to call repeatedly on individual farmers on whose holdings demonstrations, experiments, or poultry stations happen to be located.
Is it not part of the Minister's statutory duty, and does he not maintain a staff actually to ensure that the services required to be given to farmers by county instructors are so given? Is it not a fact that these inspectors have perennially reported to the Department that the instructors are doing not only all they are expected to do but more than it is reasonable to ask them to do? Has the Minister not four inspectors for that purpose? Perhaps the Minister would reply. He says he has no responsibility.
Mr. Walsh
It is a matter for the committees of agriculture.
No, no. Has the Minister not four inspectors?
Mr. Walsh
If there are any complaints to be made they should be made to the committee of agriculture.
Is the Minister not responsible for the due performance of the duties devolving on the county instructor and does he not maintain an inspector for that purpose?
Mr. Walsh
Yes. There have been no complaints.
Is it not a fact that the implication in this question is that a Parliamentary Secretary cast a serious slur on the agricultural officers in regard to the way in which they carry out their duties? Will the Minister make a comment on the unjust charges which that Parliamentary Secretary made against agricultural officers?
Mr. Walsh
That is another question.
That is what the Minister was asked in this question. He was asked if he had any comment to make on the charges made by the Parliamentary Secretary. It is not the first occasion on which this Parliamentary Secretary has made wild and unsubstantiated statements.
Question No. 72.