asked the Minister for Agriculture the quantity of barley which the Irish Corn Traders Association have been called upon to take up on the 1st January in each of the past three years.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Quantity of Barley taken by Grain Trade.
23.
The required information is as follows:—
|
1st January, 1961 |
18,130 tons |
|
1st January, 1962 |
15,350 tons |
|
1st January, 1963 |
110,000 tons |
Does the Minister know what this costs the trade, and if he does, what compensation they received through the importation and the handling of maize?
I do not understand the Deputy's supplementary question.
What does the taking up of this barely cost the trade, or does the Minister know?
The Minister knows he gives a guarantee to the growers as to the price they will receive for barley and the Minister knows he must devise some ways and means of purchasing that barley so as to ensure it will be taken from the grower when the grower is ready to dispose of it. The Minister knows further that he must see that the price is the assured price. Having seen to all these matters, the Minister has discharged his responsibility in them.
Has the Minister a definite agreement with the trade in this respect?
Of course, I have.
Is he prepared to put the terms of this agreement on the Table of the House?
Yes, every iota.
I am very glad to hear it.
When will the Minister put the terms of this agreement on the Table of the House?
The terms of the agreement amount to——
Now, the Minister was good enough to say he would put the terms of this agreement on the Table of the House. I want to know when.
The terms of that agreement are——
When will he put them on the Table of the House?
——as follows: that the grain trade agree to take up all barley offered to them, that on 31st December of each year, they will purchase such barley from growers and from all others who handle barley from the start of the threshing season up until 31st December, that they will take that barley at the price of £23 5s. 0d. per ton and there is a fixed margin per month that they can charge until the following year in the disposing of that barley to those who will use it for feeding purposes; but in lieu of their giving this service, they are permitted to import offal freely and they are permitted to import certain quantities of maize in consultation and after agreement with my Department. These are the terms of this agreement. It has worked tremendously well and has resulted in keeping our barley prices to the consumer at very low levels, much lower than in any period prior to the agreement.
Does the Minister not, in fact, know what it costs the trade to give this service, or what compensation they are getting?
Of course, I know.
That is what I want put on the Table of the House.
I know they can import offal freely, that they can import maize in consultation and after agreement with my Department, that they make barley available to all users at a fixed price right up to the following harvest.
Nobody knows what they paid for the maize.
That is a competitive business.
Competitive, my foot. It is a goldmine they are in at the expense of the farmers of this country.