asked the Minister for Finance if he will consult with the Irish banks and request that they defer pressure on landowners and others who owing to the bad harvest year are unable to meet their commitments and defer all proceedings against such people; and if he will outline the Government's policy in the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Bank Pressure on Landowners.
33.
I have no information as to any pressure by the Irish banks on landowners or others who may be adversely affected by this year's harvest conditions. In individual cases of bank accommodation, responsibility rests with the banks and I do not propose to intervene in the manner suggested by the Deputy. The Government's policy regarding the restraint of credit expansion has been made clear in previous statements by me in the Dáil.
Would the Minister communicate with the banks and ask them, having regard to the very bad harvest which most landowners have had, to hold their hands until the next harvest to give them an opportunity of meeting their responsibilities to the banks? Does the Minister not consider, having regard to the bad harvest, the credit squeeze, and other economic considerations, that it is most unreasonable for the banks to use pressure on the landowners?
As I told the Deputy, I have no information that such pressure is being used at the present time.
If I give the Minister information on individual cases, would he be prepared to intervene?
I should not like to intervene in individual cases.
Could the Minister not make a general plea to the banks to be lenient in cases of that kind?
If there were evidence of widespread pressure such as the Deputy suggests, I would consider what I might do.
Is the Minister aware that the evidence is that the farmers are being pressed to sell cattle? At a time of bad cattle prices, the sales yards all over the country have had record sales, and the number of cattle at the sales yards is higher than it was at this time in other years. The evidence shows that the farmers are being asked to sell cattle which they should keep until January in order to seek a better price. Would he not intervene with the banks to see that the farmers get this opportunity of keeping their cattle until next January?
There is a lot of detail about the cattle trade with which I am not yet familiar——
The Minister had better get familiar with it.
——but I understand less cattle are being sold than normally at this time of year.