asked the Minister for Agriculture the duty and tax on (a) carcase horse meat and (b) live horses entering the Continent.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Continental Tax on Horse Meat and Live Horses.
35.
The Continental countries to which carcase horse meat and live horses other than bloodstock are exported from this country are France and Belgium. I am informed that, on importation into France, horse meat is subject to a Customs duty of 15 per cent. ad valorem, and a Meat Tax equivalent to about 4½d. per lb., while the live horses are subject to a duty of 13½ per cent. ad valorem. In both cases, certain other small charges are made, including fees in respect of sanitary controls and veterinary inspection. The Customs duty on horse meat entering Belgium is 12 per cent., and on the live horses 6 per cent. Here also, additional taxes amounting to 5 per cent. are payable both on horsemeat and on the live horses.
Would the Minister not agree that if the costs for carcase horse meat are higher than for live animals it must result in depressing the price which the farmers get for horses and——
I do not think there is any responsibility on any Deputy to use the Order Paper for the purpose of endeavouring to depress the price of horses.
Is there not an obligation on the Minister to answer a fair question?