Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 16 Nov 1955

Vol. 153 No. 6

Committee on Finance. - Agricultural Produce (Eggs) Bill, 1955—Second and Subsequent Stages.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture (Mr. O. Flanagan)

I move that the Bill be now read a Second Time. In accordance with the provisions of the Agricultural Produce (Eggs) Act, 1939, every egg and every packet of eggs consigned from a registered egg wholesaler's premises must be marked with the marks prescribed by the regulations made under that Act. The marks at present prescribed for the shells of fresh eggs are the country of origin mark and code mark. The marks prescribed for packages containing eggs consigned for export are the nationality mark, that is, the words "Produce of the Republic of Ireland"; the transport mark—"Eggs—This Side Up"; the exporter's identification number, the quantity mark and the date of export mark. Each of these marks serves a useful purpose from the point of view of the efficient marketing of our eggs and has not, I am satisfied, militated in the past against the sale of our eggs abroad. Recently, however, inquiries for unstamped eggs have been received by some of our exporters from countries in which we have been trying to find an outlet for our surplus poultry products, while importers in some of our markets on the Continent have stated that Irish eggs would be more readily saleable on those markets if the date of export mark did not appear on the boxes.

In view of the intense competition which our eggs are meeting on the export markets, it seems to me essential that any obstacles which hinder, even in the slightest degree, the sale of our eggs on those markets should, where possible, be removed. The Bill before the House is intended to do that. I might add that it is not my intention to grant exemptions automatically; every application will be carefully examined and exemption will be granted only where I am satisfied that that course is in the best interests of our egg and poultry industry and that the exporter is complying with the requirements of the importing country.

Mr. Walsh

I am sure that this Bill must be necessary, as otherwise the Minister would not have introduced it, but I should like to have some points clarified before I agree to giving him this Bill. What provision is going to be made down the country, for instance, regarding the marking of eggs? The Parliamentary Secretary has stated that inquiries have been made to exporters here by people abroad who are looking for our eggs, stating that, unless they get these eggs unstamped, they will not be able to take them. But there is another point to be taken into consideration. Before ever they arrive at the wholesalers in Dublin, they are produced in the country. What guarantee have the exporters that these are fresh eggs? Is it not going to have a damaging effect on our eggs if eggs are sent out of the country which may be stale, because there is no mark on them? When eggs are collected in the country, they may be three, four, five or six days old. They will be held possibly for 48 hours in the collector's establishment and then sent to Dublin, and they may be a week, ten days or a fortnight old before they go out. There is no guarantee that they will not be. The only guarantee we have at the moment that eggs are fresh is the fact that they are marked and stamped.

This Bill may do greater damage unless you have a specific order, a specific supply or from a specific person or persons; otherwise, if you leave it as a general supply all over the country, you may do irreparable damage to egg exports, simply for the reason that there is no guarantee of the age of the eggs by the time they reach Dublin and the exporter can only take the supplier's word that these are fresh eggs which are produced within a certain period. I should like to have greater clarification of that point and an explanation from the Parliamentary Secretary about the precautions to be taken regarding the quality and freshness of the eggs going out, the precautions that will be taken to preserve the standard and the reputation of our eggs in foreign markets. That reputation has been gained because the people purchasing beyond know exactly that every precaution has been taken to ensure that they are of the highest quality.

Mr. Rooney

I welcome this Bill because I believe it will assist us in developing an export trade which otherwise would not be available to us. The purpose of this Bill is to enable us to sell eggs to certain States just as fresh as the eggs which are stamped and which we are selling to the others who will take them. I feel that, in the normal course of trade, the onus will be on the exporters, in their own business interests, to ensure that the eggs will be reasonably fresh. In these days of quick travel, we can rest assured that eggs will reach the retail counter at very great distances from here within a very reasonable time. I agree with Deputy Walsh when he says that the fact that these eggs are not going to be stamped—that that will not be insisted on for eggs being exported to these particular countries—is going to leave a position where we will not be certain regarding the condition of the eggs leaving the country. However, I feel that the removal of these particular regulations, if it is designed to improve the position for the poultry trade in this country, will obtain for our egg producers markets which they cannot have at the moment, but which they could have, if the eggs were not stamped. I feel that the wider field for the sale of eggs will bring great advantages to the poultry keepers in this country.

I do not think it is right for us to assume that the people who will be engaged in this egg export business will take the risk of allowing eggs to lie for a long time and deteriorate before they get into the hands of the retailers in these other countries. It would be contrary to their own interests to allow a situation like that to arise, because they would lose the trade immediately. Deputy Walsh has mentioned his desire that our good name in other countries should be maintained, and he has pointed out that the stamping of eggs was one way of doing the best we could to ensure that the good name of our poultry products in other countries should be preserved. I feel that we should not be fearful of difficulties that would arise if we exported to certain other countries, because we know at the moment that we could not export the eggs at the present time to certain countries, if they were stamped.

The purpose of the Bill is to give our exporters the chance of sending the eggs to these countries. We have countries to which our eggs can be exported when they are stamped, but I feel that this Bill is necessary in the national interest and to bring a measure of prosperity to poultry exporters. For instance, at certain times of the year, eggs are plentiful in this country, and at that time, the eggs are seeking a market at a reasonable price. I remember that only a few months ago producers were complaining that they were getting a very bad price for their eggs, somewhere around 2/- a dozen. Now that they are scarce and when the producers have not got the eggs, they are being offered 8/- a dozen for any eggs that can be found. The opening of a market in other countries may give the producers an economic price for their eggs at a time of the year when they are obliged to accept uneconomic prices in the ordinary way. Producers were obliged to accept uneconomic prices earlier this year when eggs were plentiful. I feel that this Bill will widen the marketing field for our eggs and that the producers will be given an opportunity to get a better price at the plentiful times.

Mr. O. Flanagan

I can assure Deputy Walsh and other Deputies that every possible precaution has been and will be taken to ensure that, in so far as the export of our eggs is concerned, only the very best and highest quality will be exported.

Deputy Walsh has asked that points raised by him should be given a little more clarification. I would like to make it clear that every wholesaler must test and mark all eggs and all this Bill asks for is for power to exempt from marking. That is the only power that is asked for in the Bill and we are asking for that power because we feel from inquiries that have recently been made of our exporters from countries in which we have been trying to find an outlet for our poultry products, that there are certain possibilities. It has been stated by people on the Continent that Irish eggs would be more readily saleable if the date of export mark did not appear on the boxes. That is the main purpose of this Bill—to further the sale of our eggs on such markets.

It is only right that the House should also be made aware of the fact that each exporter requiring such a concession must make application for exemption in the case of each export. In view of that, there cannot be any doubt whatever that the merits of each application will be very fully considered by the Department. It is also well to note that every egg intended for export must be tested within 48 hours of acquisition. Such eggs are examined by the inspectors of the Department at the ports and wholesalers who disobey the law in this respect will lose their registration.

Mr. Walsh

But wholesalers may not be responsible; the farmers may be responsible.

Mr. O. Flanagan

Whoever is responsible, action will be taken.

Mr. Rooney

Farmers do not have to stamp eggs at the moment.

Mr. Walsh

It is very hard to trace an egg down the country.

Mr. O. Flanagan

Such eggs are examined by the inspectors at the ports and wholesalers who have disregarded the law will find that action will be taken against them.

I feel that this legislation is necessary and I appreciate the co-operation that has been given by Deputies to this very necessary and essential legislation. I feel it is in the best interests of the poultry industry and I ask the House to permit the Bill to be passed with the least possible delay.

Question put and agreed to.

Agreed to take remaining stages today.

Bill passed through Committee; reported without amendment; received for final consideration; and passed.