asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is aware that increasing numbers of earmarked cattle are being offered for sale in the Dublin market and in fairs and marts throughout the country, and, if so, if he will take action to prevent the reimportation of such cattle in the general interest of the live-stock trade.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Sale of Earmarked Cattle.
The information available to the Department of Agriculture does not suggest that there has been any significant increase in the numbers of "ear-punched" cattle imported recently.
As the Deputy is, no doubt, aware, the export of "ear-punched" cattle from here to the Continent was prohibited prior to the 1st November, when the export restriction was removed following consultation with the National Farmers' Association and the National Executive of the Irish Live-stock Trade. A close watch is being kept on the position, and, as was indicated in the announcement made by the Department of Agriculture at the end of September, it is intended, in any event, to review the whole position in the summer of 1958, in the light of the circumstances then obtaining and experience in the meantime.
Would the Minister not consider sending observers from his Department to marts and fairs throughout the country? They could then see that there is an increasing number of earmarked cattle being sold, in any case in my area, and from the information I have, in most other areas as well.
As the Deputy may note from the reply the matter is being kept under constant review. The Department of Agriculture has many sources of information about this trade and they consulted with the National Farmers' Association and with the National Executive of the Irish Live-stock Trade.
Has the Minister's attention not been directed to the trade return published by the Central Statistics Office in respect of the first nine months of this year showing that imports of cattle have increased to about £3,000,000 worth? What cattle does the Minister think these are? They are "punched" cattle coming in from Northern Ireland. I think there may be a good deal of force in what the Minister is saying and what he is doing but surely the Minister must know that £3,000,000 worth of cattle have come in this year that never came in before. It is a shocking thing for the Minister for Agriculture to get up and say he does not know they are coming in.
I did not say I did not know they were coming in.
Well, the Minister said something very like it.
The Deputy had better go and get his ears washed.
Would it be true that the Minister would wish me to get my brain washed because if he does, he has not a hope in hell?
That was done long ago.
He has no external associations.
Deputy Dillon had the brain washing done when he was running around in a blue shirt and he was trying to brain wash everybody.
Go and get your brown shirt.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will indicate the number of "punched" cattle imported from the Six-Counties area, and the number of such cattle re-exported for the first nine months of 1957.
The total number of cattle imported from the Six Counties in the first nine months of 1957 was 71,985 but separate particulars of the number of "ear-punched" cattle included in this total are not available.
The export of "ear-punched" cattle to the Continent was not being permitted during the period referred to by the Deputy. Particulars of the number of such cattle re-exported to Britain or the Six Counties are not available as they are not specially recorded.