asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state the number of hens and pullets offered to and accepted by the various factories and poultry exporters for slaughter for each of the months of January, 1953, to January, 1954, inclusive.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Hens and Pullets.
The particulars requested by the Deputy are not available from any official source and could not readily be obtained.
Surely the Minister must have the information I ask for and must know the number killed in the period. Could he not have got the figures from the various factories?
The Deputy has asked if the Minister will state the number of hens and pullets offered to and accepted by the various factories and poultry exporters for slaughter in each of specified months. The Deputy is aware that the Department concerned with dead poultry is concerned with exports and there is no statutory obligation on licensed exporters to keep a record of the numbers of poultry acquired by them.
It is pretty convenient at the moment not to know it.