asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he is aware of the delay in carrying through the proposed tomato growing scheme in the Ballinskelligs and Caherciveen districts, and, if so, whether he is now in a position to issue a decision in the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Kerry Tomato Growing Scheme.
I am aware of the delay. As I informed the Deputy in reply to a similar question on the 27th April, 1955, I am prepared to proceed with the proposed scheme if a sufficient number of suitable Irish-speaking participants is forthcoming to make the plan economically sound. So far it has proved impossible to obtain that number.
Would the Minister be prepared, if he fails to obtain the required number of 100 which would be the ideal from the outset, to consider the possibility of proceeding with the scheme even though the number was less than the 100 which was originally agreed on? If the Minister obtains 60 or 70 people who would be suitable according to the Department, could the Minister see his way to proceed with the scheme and eventually allow applicants from areas outside Ballinskelligs as well as from Ballinskelligs to apply, so that the scheme in its entirety would be economic?
As the Deputy is no doubt aware this scheme was first formulated about 1953 and it was then decided it should be confined to Irish-speaking families. The problem is that in order to make a unit of this kind approximate to viability, you must have a certain minimal number of growers associated with the central packing and handling premises and you must have a reasonable proximity of the growers to the central handling and packing station. I am advised—as I think my predecessor was advised— that the very minimum is 100. Otherwise, individual growers may be burdened with overheads which would deny them any prospect of profit at any stage.
If we extend it over too wide an area, we make it uneconomic again with the result that individual participants are deprived of the prospect of any profit from the undertaking. Quite frankly, I have been unable to devise any means to find a way out of that dilemma and I still find myself in the difficulty that, if I cannot get at least 100 qualified families, the unit will not work. I shall be very glad to consider the suggestion made by the Deputy, but I am sorry I cannot honestly hold out any prospect of the unit being instituted on the basis of less than 100 participants.