asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will immediately open Cooley alcohol factory, County Louth to deal with the large unsaleable surplus of old season potatoes in farmers' hands.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Louth Alcohol Factory.
11.
I am informed by Ceimici Teo. that the season is now too far advanced to make arrangements for the opening of Cooley alcohol factory for the processing of old season potatoes. The company is prepared to accept potatoes suitable for processing at their Carndonagh factory provided that the growers make immediate arrangements with the Company for delivery.
The Minister is no doubt aware that the freight from County Louth and County Monaghan to Carndonagh would preclude any such movement of potatoes. Is the Minister aware that there are large quantities of potatoes, largely white potatoes, which were unsaleable on hands there and the Minister, if he wishes, can have the information from me? There are 100 tons of potatoes in one small townland in Louth alone held by medium-size farmers. Would the Minister be in a position to alleviate their difficulty?
The Minister and his Department have been endeavouring to find out what quantity of potatoes might be on the hands of growers in Counties Louth, Monaghan and Cavan and the tonnage is not at all as large as the Deputy seems to suggest.
Have the Department completed their investigation of the quantity of potatoes there?
We have got returns as far as it is possible to make an estimate.
I think the Department should look into it again.