asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state the date of the Government's decision to reduce the cow byre grants under the bovine tuberculosis eradication scheme and the date on which it became effective.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cow Byre Grants.
The decision to suspend the double byre grant was taken on the 31st January, 1957, by the Minister for Agriculture.
For further information, read the documents issued yesterday.
I would remind the House that January of 1957 was a very harsh month. Money was scarce and votes were scarce too and votes were wanted at that time. Although this decision was made in january of that year, no public announcement of it was made because of the fact that there was a general election due in February or March. If there has been any hush-hush we know why it has been. We are well used to that kind of thing from the Deputies opposite.
Will the Minister tell me why, if the decision was taken in January, 1957, the double byre grants were paid up to January, 1958? Was the decision made in reality by the present Government and did they then try to put it on to their predecessors?
The decision was made to take effect as from a certain date but no public announcement was made of the fact that the decision had been taken, so the applications continued to flow in and continued to be dealt with. It is a wonder that a Deputy in this House who was a member of a Government and a leader of a farmers' Party would seem to be so innocent about these things.
Is the Minister not aware that the minute of the 31st January, 1957, refers to six counties and six counties only? These were the counties of Donegal, Mayo, Galway, Kerry, Leitrim and Roscommon. Is the Minister further aware that that part of the minute that deals with the double byre grants as published yesterday shows that the minute and the decision dealt with these six counties alone? Is he further aware that when speaking in this House on a previous occasion he tried to make out that the minute referred to the entire country?
The Minister is aware that, from the moment he mentioned this fact, a persistent attempt was made by members of the Opposition to put the responsibility for it on this Government. When I saw that I made up my mind that I would stuff that decision down the throats of those who made it.
Is the Minister further aware that the effect of the publication of this document down the country has been to show him as trying to misrepresent the whole matter?
The Minister can now inform the House and the country that he went around to meetings standing over that decision without making the slightest reference to who made it.
Is was your own decision.
So well you might.
It was only when I sa that the people on the other side of this House, who have been quite good at this kind of thing all down through the life of their Party, were trying to shed their responsibility for this matter that I decided that I would make them take the responsibility for it. I decided that they would get enough of this thing before I was finished with them and so they will.
May I inquire whether the Minister is going to defend his decision in this matter or whether he is going to try to misrepresent these minutes all over the country? He has not heard the last of it.
I want the Minister to give me an answer to the question I put to him. If the decision was made in January of 1957 by what authority were the grants continued to be paid?
This poor innocent Deputy was in slumberland when the Government of which he was a member was making this important decision.
Answer the question. The Minister is trying to save the Minister for the Gaeltacht who made a false statement to the House in this matter.
You cannot bluff your way out of this.
I want to ask a further question on this matter.
I shall not allow this discussion to go on interminably. There is a method by which this matter can be discussed in the House if the Deputy wishes.