asked the Minister for Agriculture what programme he has set for the carrying out of his five-year plan for agriculture, and if he will state in respect of each year the individual targets he has set under each of the following heads: tillage, livestock, and milk and butter production.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Five-Year Plan for Agriculture.
I regret that it is not feasible to expound policy by way of question and answer, and I must refer the Deputy to my public statements on this matter in Dáil Eireann and the country, but, if pressed to attempt such a summary as the Deputy appears to desire, I would suggest that the Government's policy in this regard could best be summarised by the phrase: One more cow, one more sow, and one more acre under the plough, through phosphates, potash and lime.
Arising out of that reply, is it not perfectly clear that the Minister has not considered, and neither has he got what he claims to have, a five year plan, at all?
I think I conform to the general scheme of your rulings, a Cheann Comhairle, in adhering to the practice of forbearing to prepare parliamentary replies running into six or seven pages of foolscap.
Yes.