asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if in view of the loss of income to farmers resulting from reduced prices of cattle and sheep he will now decide to continue the Government guarantee payments on beef in 1966; and if he will extend these payments to include mutton also.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Meat Guarantee Payments.
141.
It is not true to say that prices for cattle and sheep are abnormally low. The operation of the payments scheme on beef exports is being kept under review.
Will the Minister answer the question? The prices for cattle and sheep are undoubtedly abnormally low. Has the Minister in mind extending his guaranteed payments on beef into the New Year in order to give some stability to the trade and put an end to the panic selling going on at the present time?
Does the Minister know that weanling calves are selling today at £23 to £25, calves which in other years would have gone as high as £30. They are selling all over the south at £25. The Minister could fill his ranch in Raheny with them in the morning.
So far I have got no answer to the question from the Minister. He has not told us whether or not he intends to extend the guarantee payments into the New Year and indeed through 1966.
I have told the Deputy that the operation of the scheme is being kept under review.
Farmers are selling cattle which they should be holding until February or March next.
That is why I introduced the scheme. The scheme was introduced for the purpose of trying to persuade more farmers to fatten cattle during the winter time and make more supplies of beef available either for the export trade or for the dead beef trade.