Skip to main content
Normal View

Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 27 Apr 1965

Vol. 215 No. 2

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Fall in Exports.

2.

asked the Taoiseach if he will state the reason for the fall of £6.6 million in exports in the first quarter of 1965.

Total exports in the first quarter of 1965 were valued at £5.7 million less than in the corresponding period of 1964. As compared with the corresponding months of 1964, the value of total exports in January and February, 1965, fell by £1.5 million and £4.6 million, respectively. Exports recovered in March and exceeded the March, 1964, figure by £.5 million.

Detailed information regarding exports is available only for January and February. From an examination of the returns for these months it would appear that exports of cattle were £2 million less than in the corresponding months of 1964 and exports of beef, mutton, lamb and pork were £1.9 million lower. There was a fall of £1.5 million in exports of ships and boats while other miscellaneous exports, including fruit, vegetables, sugar and sugar preparations, textile fibres, leather manufactures, textile yarns and thread, electrical machinery and goods, clothing and footwear, accounted for a further decrease of £1.8 million. These declines were partly offset by small increases in a number of items, which totalled about £1.1 million.

How can the Parliamentary Secretary reconcile that information with the statement made in this House about two months ago by the then Minister for Industry and Commerce in reply to Deputy Byrne and myself when we complained about the price of meat on sale in Dublin? The Minister told us the reason was the increase in the exports of cattle to Britain. Now, these figures disclose that there is a serious decrease in the exports of cattle to Britain.

That does not seem to be a consequential question.

The Deputy was told it was the increase in the price of cattle that caused the increase in the price of meat. He is distorting the answer he got.

I am not.

Top
Share