asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on the result of his and the Minister for Agriculture's meeting with the NFA leaders; and the prospects for bringing to an end the present crisis.
3.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Discussions with NFA.
2.
asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on the outcome of the discussions between the Government and the NFA.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 and 3 together.
I would refer the Deputies to a statement issued by the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries on the 23rd March, 1967, to which I have nothing to add.
Could the Taoiseach inform us what are the prospects for harmony and a satisfactory settlement of the dispute? Does the Taoiseach not agree that if he had met those people after December, the whole dispute could have been ended a long time ago?
I cannot answer on the basis of any hypothesis, but the prospect of restoring harmony rests entirely with the NFA.
I doubt that very much. Can you prevent the Minister for Agriculture from fomenting strife and class warfare at the present time in this country? Does the Taoiseach not admit that a settlement depends as much on the Minister for Agriculture as on the NFA?
I have adequate influence over and harmony with the Minister for Agriculture to ensure he will not encourage any class warfare, but I would appeal to the Deputy not to do exactly what he suggests here he is trying to avoid. I am suggesting that is just what he is doing. I want to say further that after our day-long talks with the NFA, the Minister for Agriculture and I put forward certain proposals that I considered perfectly reasonable that might have been accepted as a basis for further negotiations between the NFA and the Government, but they refused to accept them.
Will the Taoiseach and his Minister see the NFA now if they want to see them?
Do they want us to perform handsprings or something?
I do not suggest they do. After all, they are the premier farming organisation. They have not attended the National Agricultural Council. You did beforehand have arrangements with them whereby they had a price review before the Budget.
No, not a price review.
Yes. Did you not agree this year?
There was never a price review as such between the Minister for Agriculture and the NFA. Might I say that, in connection with the Deputy's references to the non-participation by the NFA in the National Agricultural Council, I want to make it quite clear that part of the proposals we put to the NFA was that they might now take part with the other members of the NAC on an ad hoc basis prior to the introduction of the Budget and without any prejudice whatever to their future attitude towards the NAC. This they refused to do.
Could the Taoiseach and his Minister not see them now, before the Budget, and without prejudice, so as to carry out the arrangement made with the previous Minister, which he now denies, to have a price review?
There never was any arrangement to have a price review with the NFA.