asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he is aware of the chaos that existed in the turkey market during December, 1968, and the loss suffered by many producers; and if he has any plans for turkey production in the future.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Turkey Market.
12.
I do not accept that any chaos existed in the turkey market last December. In fact a substantial proportion of the turkeys supplied for the Christmas market were sold at prices agreed well in advance under marketing arrangements made directly by producers with the trade. I am aware, of course, that supplies were more plentiful than in 1967 and that at some local markets supply exceeded demand and prices declined. Every effort will continue to be made by my Department to emphasise the advantages to producers of making advance contract arrangements for the sale of their turkeys so as to avoid the uncertainties of speculative production for the open market.
Surely the Minister is aware that producers had to queue for two days here in the city and that their turkeys were sold for as low as 1/9d to 2/- a pound. If the Minister can put mohair suits on people who had not a behind in their trousers because they helped in by-elections and joined Taca——
We seem to be getting away from turkeys.
——I want to know will he not consider doing something tangible for the small farmers who are producers, not political parasites, and who are the backbone of this country before he has them all driven off the land of Ireland. We do not expect him to put them all in mohair suits.
I will not put turkey feathers on them anyway. I would suggest to the Deputy that he is rather exaggerating the situation and particularly is he exaggerating in regard to the Dublin situation. Of course, he very conveniently ignores his own county situation in so far as the turkey market was concerned. This is to be expected from the Deputy in his wild exaggerations which, to my mind, are merely an effort to cover up the lack of regard and respect that Fine Gael have displayed for the small farmer for whom he now weeps.
Is the Minister aware that at Ballynacarraga show there were 1,000 turkeys and not a single person to buy them? Is the Minister further aware that at Mullingar poultry show, where there were over 1,300 turkeys entered, the price last year was from 5/6d to 6/6d a pound and this year they were sold for from 2/- to a maximum of 4/6d? If the Minister wants to know, I am a member of the show committee and I have been encouraging it and helping it for the last 25 years. I know well what is happening and I know how the unfortunate producers suffer not alone in Westmeath but in every other county in Ireland. Fianna Fáil now have no regard for the small farmer, they are more interested in the people who can pay a fiver or £100 to Taca.
Thanks be to God, the small farmers can afford to pay £5.
Order. Question No. 13.
There were very few of them at the Ard Fheis. The £100 to Taca has put an end to them.
Could the Minister——
I do not want to get confused. There are two points about Mullingar and Ballinacarraga that we must clear up. There is a wide disparity in the information. At the Mullingar show there were 800 turkeys, if the Deputy counted them, on the day in question and the fact is that the registered price for New York dressed turkeys was 3/4d to 4/- per pound for hens and 2/6d to 3/- for cocks and there was a full clearance on that day.
They were sold for as little as 1/6d.
(Interruptions.)
I paid 4/6d a pound myself for 12 turkeys.
You should not have done it. That was taking advantage of the people.
(Interruptions.)
I paid sixpence a pound more than the price you have quoted.
Order. We cannot discuss turkeys all evening.
I did not finish the correction that has to be made. At Ballinacarraga show on 16th December, which I take it is the show the Deputy is talking about, there were 1,400 birds —turkeys, that is—at the show, 400 more than was available in 1967. Eleven hundred of these were cleared in the market in the normal way and the remaining 300 were taken up by a Dublin dealer. My information for the Deputy is that in his county as a whole there was no carry-over of turkeys this year whatsoever.
Completely wrong. They had to hire a private lorry to bring them to Dublin the next day and they were not sold the next day.
Where are they now?
Some of the Taca members paid 30/- for turkey dinners.
They did not pay the bad price you did according to yourself.
4/6d a pound.
I have made three attempts to ask the Minister a question.
So I noticed.
Does his answer to the House indicate that he is perfectly satisfied with the whole situation in relation to the marketing of turkeys last Christmas?
What it does indicate is that you need not take any real notice of what Deputy L'Estrange says, but that does not mean that I am satisfied with the situation. I have indicated that we will continue to try in every way possible to have the sale of turkeys by arrangement rather than by the free open market which occasionally can cause difficulty and loss to certain people participating in it. In other words, forward contract of turkeys is, in our estimation, a much better way to operate.