asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries when payment of the increased subsidy for lambs will commence.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Lamb Subsidy.
18.
Payments of subsidy will be made after the inspections of lambs which are due to begin on 13th August and continue until the end of September.
Would the Minister consider in future paying the subsidy earlier, as farmers are now holding on to lambs which in the ordinary course they would have disposed of for sale?
So far as these mountain lambs are concerned, regardless of which breed they may be, there is no great movement from the mountains traditionally and for very good reasons until at least this date in August. In fact, the big move really takes place in September and in some places right into October and indeed late in October as well. While it might be convenient to start at an earlier date in respect of some few of the lambs that might be ready, it would mean going back again and doing a second run for the remainder. I do not think this would really be an advantage at all. It certainly would add very greatly to the administrative costs and the difficulty of providing sufficient inspectors to do the job.
Possibly the Minister would consider bringing it forward to 1st July.
I do not know really what lambs are available to come off the mountains on 1st July. If there is evidence that there is a demand for it, I shall certainly consider it.
Some mountain farmers have suggested to me that it might be to their advantage.
At the other end of the scale, and I think with an even greater degree of emphasis, there are requests and suggestions being made that the back end of it should be extended until at least the end of October. If we bring it forward and push it back——
But the Minister will look into it.
I certainly will.
Has the Minister any intention of broadening this scheme to bring in all lambs?
That is a separate question.
The Minister intends to limit the scheme to those for whom it was intended and to keep out some of the jokers who got in last year.
The jokers must be in the Minister's Party.
There were none in the Deputy's Party?
Question No. 19.
I asked the Minister if he intended to broaden the scheme to bring in all lambs.
Far from it. I intend to confine it to the people for whom it was intended.
I think this was——
Would the Deputy please allow Questions to continue?
I have asked only one supplementary.
The Deputy has asked several. Will the Deputy resume his seat?