asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the total acreage of tillage (a) in 1954 and (b) in 1966; and what plans the Government have to grow at home in greater quantities those foodstuffs which are imported.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Tillage Acreage.
17.
The total area under tillage in 1954 was 1,808,190 acres and in 1966 was 1,261,900.
The decline in the tillage area in recent years was due to a number of factors including a series of poor harvests and relatively more attractive prices for milk and livestock. Grain prices were increased last year and this should serve as an inducement to higher production given suitable weather conditions.
The price for sugar beet of the 1967 crop has also been increased and a substantial increase in the area under that crop as compared with last year is forecast.
Import controls which are being maintained provide very valuable encouragement for vegetable production. Vegetables required by processing firms are grown under contract and increased prices will be paid this year for peas which is the main vegetable so grown.
Is the Minister aware that the acreage of tillage dropped by 647,290 since 1954? Is the Minister further aware that in 1966 we imported £24 million worth of cereal foodstuffs that should and could have been grown in this country to give employment to our own people? What does the Minister intend to do about this in the future? Surely the Minister realises that the dead hand of Fianna Fáil has fallen on farming?
The Deputy will not be allowed to make any more speeches.
Surely the Minister realises that?
Realises what?
That the dead hand of Fianna Fáil has fallen on agriculture and that we now have only half the amount of tillage we had ten years ago.
Is it down to half now? It will soon be down to the level at which it would be under Fine Gael.
(Interruptions.)
Question No. 18.
Surely the Minister realises that the acreage of wheat and barley is down because of the poor price the Government are giving? Wheat and barley are only the same price as in 1951, 1952 and 1953.
And the Deputy would not be found dead in a field of wheat, according to his former leader.
Tell us about it. How much is the Deputy growing?
Much more than the Minister ever grew because he knows nothing about farming, and cares less.
Do not be codding yourself.
The Minister never did a day's work in farming in his life, and the country knows that today.
I did not run away from it like you.
I am in it unfortunately. It would be better if I had run way from it because there is nothing in it for the past two or three years under Fianna Fáil.
This is getting more like television every minute.