asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will impose a very severe duty on all wheat imported by millers so as to secure the use of as much Irish-grown wheat as possible in the manufacture of flour; and if he will severely tax all imports by millers so as to secure greater use of home-grown products.
Ceisteanna—Questions Oral Answers. - Wheat Imported by Millers.
21.
The answer is in the negative.
Will the Minister indicate why he will not severely tax the millers in respect of imported wheat in order to encourage them to assist the Irish farmer by purchasing the best quality wheat they are now rejecting?
The policy of the Government for years has been to require the millers to use 75 per cent of Irish wheat in the grist, and that still remains the policy.
Is it now the decided policy of the Government to encourage millers to use foreign wheat of a high millable standard and reject Irish wheat of a similar high millable standard?
The policy of the Department, as it has been for years, is to oblige the millers to use 75 per cent of Irish wheat in the grist.