asked the Minister for Agriculture whether any licences to import feeding oats have been granted within the past two months; and, if so, the names of the licensees, the quantity allotted to each, and the names of the importers; and why these licences were granted in view of the fact that there is an abundance of feeding oats available in the home market.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Feeding Oats: Import Licences.
44.
Licences to import feeding oats have been granted as follows:
|
1. Irish Racehorse Trainers' Association |
tons2,000 |
|
2. Bloodstock Breeders' and Horse Owners' Association |
4,000 |
Import licences are being granted to the importers nominated by these Associations. It is not the practice, however, to disclose the names of firms who arrange for the importation of particular lots of grain.
These licences were granted because the supply of home-grown oats of a quality suitable for feeding to racehorses and to bloodstock is not sufficient to meet requirements.
Is the Minister aware that in at least two counties there is a substantial amount of first-class feeding oats available and has been available all along, and that these groups were aware that this oats was available? Would the Minister state now why, in the light of that fact, he allowed foreign oats to be imported, thereby damaging Irish farming interests?
I am not aware that what the Deputy has stated is an accurate description of the position.
Is it not a fact that in Donegal alone there were over 2,000 tons of first-class feeding oats available and that this was offered to the people concerned?
If such quantities of oats were available in Donegal or elsewhere, they had from 27th August until January to make the fact known, during which time I was being pressed by the Irish Racehorse Trainers' Association with the support of the N.F.A. to grant licences. If such oats were available in Donegal during all that time, when Parliamentary Questions were being addressed to me in the House, it is a strange thing that they did not make the fact known, because that was the time to make it known.
Is the Minister aware that last December, one of the people in the Bloodstock Breeders' Association ordered 500 tons of oats in Donegal as a result of a sample he had already obtained and which was found to be excellent, and that within three or four days of ordering the 500 tons, he cancelled the order? Is the Minister further aware that he cancelled it because he had the news that the Government were going to allow the importation of foreign oats?
I am not aware of that in any shape or form, but I am aware, as I have told the Deputy, that in August I met a group of people from the Irish Racehorse Trainers' Association who carried with them a letter an extract from which I will read to the Deputy.
One thousand tons, not 6,000.
I quote:
With reference to our letter of the 11th August last and our further meeting on the 23rd instant, we wish to confirm that in view of the special circumstances outlined by your representatives we would not object to an importation of 1,000 tons of Canadian oats to be distributed to your members on the lines indicated by you. We welcome your assurance that native oats available to your members will be purchased at the minimum price agreed on at our meeting.
That letter was produced by this deputation from the Irish Racehorse Trainers' Association and of course those who have some responsibility for that letter maintained that it was written to cover a transition period, but that same letter and that same support came with a similar deputation at the end of the month of November when the transition period had disappeared and after they had received a letter from me to the effect that if I were to give a licence to the Irish Racehorse Trainers' Association, I would have to give a licence to the Bloodstock Breeders' Association. As regards the justification for the issue of these licences, my mind is completely clear and the records of this House will show that I gave those who might have suitable oats on hands every opportunity to dispose of it; in fact, I warned them not to hold on unduly because I would have to try to be fair to all the interests involved.
Is the Minister aware that a great number of horse trainers on the Curragh and elsewhere have oats stored in their lofts for the past few years and that the more import licences granted for the importation of foreign oats, the less chance there is of getting the Irish farmer to grow oats at home?
In fact, one of my reasons for withholding these licences for so long was my dissatisfaction with these associations in not laying in larger stocks of oats of the 1959 crop year. I wanted to bring it home to them that they were not going to get licences by just coming along and tapping on my door.
Which they did in the long run.
Would the Minister make representations to those people to try to use Irish oats to a greater extent?