asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if, in view of the disquiet caused among many beet-growers by his reported speech in Cork regarding representation on beet growers' bodies and associations, he will clarify his position in this matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Beet Growers' Associations.
22.
I do not agree that the factual statement I made in Cork at the close of the European Beet Growers' Congress gave rise to any disquiet among the beet-growers. In that statement, I paid tribute to the outstanding work which the Irish Sugar Beet Growers Association have done on behalf of their members over a long number of years, and regretted the threat to their solidarity and independence which arose recently from causes totally unconnected with the welfare of the beet-growers.
Does the Minister not consider that it was, to say the least of it, inexpedient of him to draw attention to a breach in cordial relationships between these bodies when that breach might have been closed? Does it not indicate that the Minister does not want the breach closed, that he wants the row to continue?
I am not an ostrich, as is the Deputy.
Does the Minister appreciate that if the Beet Growers Association are, to use his own words, to remain a fine example of industrial democracy, the Minister should keep his political beak out of their affairs? Does he not realise that at the present time this is a further effort to bring politics into the farmers' organisations and again to fan the dying embers, again to divide the farmers one against the other?
So long as somebody is dividing them in the way the Deputy wants them divided, he will be satisfied. It was appropriate for me, on my first occasion as their guest at a public function, to praise the Beet Growers Association and I have no apologies to make for putting on record my appreciation of their long and outstanding work on behalf of this group of Irish producers.
As the Minister is aware, nothing can be more democratic than a vote of the Beet Growers Association and, surely when the Minister speaks about intimidation, he is aware that the beet-growers will not be intimidated, as he has on occasions intimidated the voters in places like Kerry, Clare and other counties, and that the same type of intimidation will not be used? Surely the Minister is aware that he is the last man who should speak about political intimidation?
The Deputy may not make a speech. Question No. 23.
Does the Minister not agree that, not only did he draw attention to the good work of the beet-growers, but also drew attention to the dissentient voices, as he called them, in that speech?
It was a little more specific than that.
Indeed. I am being most kind to the Minister and he should take advantage of it.
I have no doubt that in asking the question the Deputy intended to be kind.
Did the Minister set the cat among the pigeons?