asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is yet in a position to announce the price of milk delivered to creameries in the coming production year and, if so, if he will indicate the minimum price which producers will receive.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Price of Creamery Milk.
I would refer the Deputy to the reply which I gave to a similar question on 12th February.
Has the Minister nothing to add, in view of the interview which he had last Monday?
The only thing I can add is to give the Deputy an assurance that the price will be much more attractive than the one for which he campaigned some short time ago—1/- per gallon.
Will the Minister ensure that the price he is going to announce will have the same stability —five years?
The one you campaigned for did not exist at all, except in the imagination of those who proposed it.
Would the Minister indicate if there is, or is not, to be a fixed minimum price for milk this year?
The Minister will indicate his mind and the mind of the Government when the time is ripe to do so.
Is the Minister aware that the time is long past?
The farmers have their cows and they will have to milk them anyway, without assistance from either the Deputy or myself.
What is going to happen to the milk?
They can convert it at home or send it to the creamery, if they so desire.
That is the way to talk to them when you have an absolute majority—treat them roughly.
Order!
That is obviously the way.