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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 26 May 1964

Vol. 210 No. 1

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Western Farms Plan.

18.

asked the Minister for Agriculture what were the grounds of disagreement on which Charlestown Small Farms Committee have now dissociated themselves from the Government's plan for small western farms.

I assume the Deputy is referring to the proposals made in the recently published Report on Pilot Area Development which were discussed by the Taoiseach and myself on 19th May with representatives of the Charlestown Committee. While a number of suggestions put forward by the Charlestown representatives were discussed at length, no indication was given that they were dissociating themselves from the proposals. It is not, of course, unusual for committees to express dissatisfaction when their proposals are not fully accepted and statements released to the press after such discussions do not always conform with the impressions created in the course of the discussions.

Is the Minister aware that in the Irish Independent last week he will find a report in which there is a definite statement to the effect that the Charlestown Committee have dissociated themselves completely from the effort that is being made? Does he agree that Appendix A and Appendix B of the publication to which he refers, namely the Report on Pilot Area Development, submitted by the Rev. Fr. McDyer are in disagreement with the general report of the Committee inasmuch as they recommend specific things to be done while the other is only a generalisation?

This is an enlargement of the question.

I saw one of these reports. As I stated in my reply, it is not unusual to find that the impression one gathers in the course of a discussion with representative organisations is not always the same as the reports that appear subsequently. I find it impossible as Minister—the position would be a very happy one if it were otherwise—to concede every point made by the many organisations coming forward with proposals of one kind or another. If it were possible to concede all such points, a Minister's life would be a very happy one indeed.

Will the Minister say then whether the report in the Irish Independent is true or false? Did Charlestown Committee dissociate themselves or did they not?

They know that best themselves. I am telling the Deputy only what my impression was.

The Minister must know whether or not they dissociated themselves.

I have answered that. We did not get the impression in the course of our discussion that they dissociated themselves from our proposals.

The Minister thinks then the report in the Irish Independent gives a false impression.

I have said no such thing. I said that, when representatives withdraw from discussions, Ministers very often find the account furnished to the press does not conform with the impressions one gathers during the course of the discussions.

It was a definite statement of fact, and it is either right or wrong.

I have no means of preventing people coming to see me making any statement they wish. All I can do is tell the House what my impression was of the discussions in which I took part.

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