asked the Minister for Agriculture if he has now satisfied himself that there is not an adequate supply of good quality oats for bloodstock; and whether he will issue a permit for importation accordingly to enable bloodstock to be retained here.
12.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Importation of Feeding Oats
11.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will now grant licences for the importation of feeding oats.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 and 12 together.
I indicated in my reply to a Question put by Deputy Cosgrave on 23rd November, 1960, that I was not yet in possession of evidence that would warrant a change in my attitude which was to refuse to grant licences for importation, until satisfied that there is a genuine shortage of home-grown oats suitable for feeding to bloodstock. That is still the position. I am keeping this matter under constant review, with particular regard to the needs of the bloodstock industry. I will license the importation of oats only as soon as I am satisfied that there is a genuine need.
Is the Minister not aware that at a meeting of the Bloodstock Breeders and the National Farmers' Association, the National Farmers' Association agreed that they were not able to produce sufficient quality oats to meet the needs of the bloodstock industry?
I have no knowledge of what consultations took place between the interests concerned, but even if they did say that, I could not afford to accept a recommendation emanating even from that source.
Has the Minister or his Department a list of the people who have for sale oats suitable for feeding bloodstock, and if so, will he furnish the names of such persons to any bloodstock owner or trainer who requires that information from him?
That Supplementary Question seems to be rather similar to one addressed to me by the Deputy last week. We do not keep such a list. As late as last night, I met people from Donegal who have a fair idea of the position there and the case they made was that there was plenty of good oats there making £20 a ton.
Would the Minister mind putting on the records today the names of the people he met last night so that trainers might know where they live?
They were members of the county committee of agriculture.
Will the Minister not make inquiries from both the bloodstock owners and the National Farmers' Association and obtain from them the information which I have asked for and further ascertain that it is a fact, as I know it is, that at present there is the gravest danger of three big studs being taken out of the country because the managers cannot be guaranteed a supply of oats? Further, if he will not himself give to the House the list of people with good quality oats, will he speak—if they are on speaking terms—to his colleague, the Minister for Local Government, and ensure that the Bloodstock Breeders' Association are provided with a list of the people who have quality oats?
It is not a question of putting pressure on me to give a licence, if I am satisfied that the issue of such a licence would be justified. Last week and on previous occasions. I mentioned some of the interests which are bound up in this, the bloodstock trainers and some other organisation and the oatmeal millers. Quite a number of their interests have been pressing me and naturally I do not want to deny a licence to these, if I am satisfied, but I am bound to be careful before I issue such a licence. Deputy Tierney from Tipperary tabled a Parliamentary Question last week and Deputies from Donegal have addressed Parliamentary Questions to me also and have written to me to say that the situation in Donegal was as I described it. In face of all this, while I do not want it to be understood that I am hidebound in this, I do want to be satisfied that the issue of a licence is justified.
Is the Minister satisfied that the oats are of a quality suitable for feeding to bloodstock? It is one thing to have oats but it is another to have oats of suitable quality.
Will the Minister ensure that the stocks of oats said to be available in County Donegal are suitable for the feeding of livestock?
In the report received from the C.A.O., County Donegal, he stated that most of the oats were excellent.
Will the Minister make available the services of an officer of his Department to join with an official of the Bloodstock Association to find out where these oats are available?
They should contact the C.A.O.s in the counties which say that they have oats available. It is not possible for me to visit every barn in the country.
Is the Minister aware that the Irish farmer is finding it very hard to dispose of Irish oats, due to a group of people who feel that nothing is good enough for racehorses except foreign oats?
Hear, hear!