asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the average price paid for fat bullocks at Dublin cattle market during the last week in November and the first week in December, 1966; and if the beef subsidy was paid to the farmers.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Prices of Fat Bullocks.
29.
The average range of liveweight prices for good quality fat bullocks at Dublin Market was 128/to 135/- per cwt. on 30th November, 1966 and 124/- to 130/- per cwt. on 7th December, 1966.
During these two weeks, support payments equivalent to the rates of fat cattle guarantee payments arising in Britain were made to Irish meat factories on their exports to Britain of carcase beef up to the standard eligible for such payments; and during the two weeks ended 3rd December, 1966, a headage payment of £7 per animal was made to cattle exporters on fat bullocks of an equivalent standard exported to Britain. The benefit of these payments on carcase beef and live cattle exports to Britain would have been reflected in the prices received by farmers for such animals.
Is the Minister aware that meat buyers were receiving a £7 headage grant from the Government? If the price of cattle only dropped 4/- or 3/6 per cwt., could the Minister inform us what happened to the other £5? Were those people putting the other £5 in their own pockets?
I am surprised at the innocence displayed by the Deputy.
It is the innocence displayed by the Minister.
There is something to be deduced from the cessation of the headage grant at the particular time it ceased and that was that it was obvious that the market itself was on the way up.
Is the Minister aware that if the £7 was being paid to the producers, the cattle should have dropped by £7 per head?
That is what Fine Gael hoped.
Or at least by 10/or 12/- per cwt. but it only dropped 3/6 which proved that the farmers were not getting the subsidy.
The Deputy hoped that would be the case but he was disappointed.
We would love to see the price of cattle going up.
(Interruptions.)
We were told to keep them until 1st April. That is what we were told in 1966. What did Deputy Haughey tell them in October?
The Minister told those who could do so to keep the cattle into the spring because the normal trend of prices then would be upwards.
He was to send them to Germany and they are still here.