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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 12 Feb 1969

Vol. 238 No. 6

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Drumlin Soil Areas.

8.

asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries where in the country is the largest area of drumlin soils; if they are easily identified; what disadvantages have those soils for agricultural purposes; what are the most lucrative agricultural activities that can be conducted on them; and if he will declare this area to be a special region for more intensive agricultural development.

9.

asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will indicate to the Dáil, by comparing the area covered by the drumlin soil belt with an area of the same size in Leinster or Munster, what amount of agricultural subsidy is lost to it because it is not suitable for growing vegetables, beet, wheat or other cereals; and if he will consider designing some further schemes for making some of these now unavailable subsidies available in the drumlin soil area.

10.

asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the average number of gallons of milk per acre produced on the drumlin soils; how this compares with the national average and with the average per acre produced from land in Limerick or Tipperary; if he will consider giving a further incentive of a penny or twopence per gallon to milk producers on the drumlin soils for all milk produced above a basic quantity per acre so as to encourage more intensive use of those soils; and if he will consider making arrangements to have skim milk from all the drumlin soil belt taken at the nearest milk processing plant and to organise suitable transport.

11.

asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he is aware that all cows and young stock in the drumlin soil belt are heavily infected with fluke; and that dosing four to five times a year is essential; and if he will arrange to subsidise the price of anti-parasitic drugs.

12.

asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if, in view of the importance of pig rearing to farmers in the drumlin soil area, he will give extra grants for this activity.

13.

asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if, in view of the importance of winter fodder for stock in the drumlin soil area, he will give extra grants for fertilisers, silo pits and silo floors in this area.

14.

asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will consider giving extra grants to farmers on drumlin soils for farm roads, cow byres and other suitable winter shelter for animals so as to reduce the amount of poaching of those soils during the wetter months of the year.

15.

asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will consider giving drainage grants for the surface drainage of drumlin soils and for its yearly maintenance in view of the fact that research has shown that other means of drainage are ineffective, short lived or require uneconomic capital expenditure.

With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose taking Questions Nos. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 together.

The most intensive drumlin soil area comprises South Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan, North Roscommon and East Sligo. This is part of the main drumlin belt which stretches from County Louth to South Donegal. Drumlins are oval or egg-shaped, generally about half a mile in length and rising 100 to 200 feet above the surrounding countryside. They constitute a complex system of soil types with considerable variation in distribution. Drumlin soils in general and especially in Leitrim, West Cavan, North Roscommon and East Sligo are heavy and difficult to drain and because of this are best suited to grass production. Dairying based on good grassland management, calf rearing and pig production are some of the activities that can profitably be pursued by farmers in the area. In East Cavan and Monaghan where the soil is more free-draining tillage crops are successfully grown.

While some parts of the drumlin belt are unsuitable for tillage crops the majority of the farmers there benefit from the heavily subsidised creamery milk price; the price support arrangements for beef; the store cattle price link with the guaranteed prices for cattle in Britain; and the guaranteed prices for pigs. The Government, however, recognised that special problems are presented by drumlin soil conditions in deciding to include Counties Cavan and Monaghan within the 12county "western area" where a number of special measures of assistance to farmers are in operation. A very large proportion of the drumlin farmers can avail of these special measures and also of various schemes, including the Small Farm (Incentive Bonus) Scheme, designed to help the smaller farmers. I am not satisfied therefore that additional preferential treatment for the drumlin areas, as suggested by the Deputy, would be warranted. I might add, however, that I am giving close attention at present to the whole question whether some further re-orientation of State expenditure in favour of certain categories of farmers would not be desirable.

Regarding grants for surface drainage, I am satisfied that this is already adequately catered for under the Land Project. Grants are not available under the Project for maintenance work and I do not propose to alter the scheme to cater for work which should form part of normal farm husbandry.

The organisation of the disposal of skim milk is primarily a matter for the local creameries. I would point out, however, that by far the most remunerative way of disposing of skim milk is to use it for feeding to livestock, especially pigs.

I am aware that because of the wet conditions in most parts of the drumlin area, liver fluke infestation in livestock is a serious problem there, as, indeed, it is in many other parts of the country. I have already established an expert group to advise me on how best to control and prevent this disease and my Department is co-operating in trials with a new product which it is hoped will reduce the incidence of fluke. There are difficulties, apart from financial considerations, in the way of subsidising the prices of anti-parasitic drugs. The cost of dosing is not high in relation to the value of animals and all farmers would be well advised to take the necessary precautions as a matter of good husbandry.

Does the Minister not think it would be a helpful step to resolve these problems with which his Department is so familiar, in view of the work that has been done with regard to them over the past 20 years, to extend the pilot scheme at present being operated by his Department to the belt of drumlin country to which he has referred? Does he not think that if the benefits of the pilot scheme were superimposed upon the specialist schemes already in operation in the drumlin area he might have a complete answer to the problems posed by Deputy Dr. Gibbons in his question?

As far as the pilot area scheme is concerned, the House will appreciate that various difficulties face farmers in different parts of the country, particularly in these western areas where this pilot scheme is operating. Perhaps arising from the operation of this scheme changes may come to be made when we are satisfied that the changes are for the benefit of such areas and will relieve such difficulties.

Is it not notorious that the pilot scheme is just a new name for the parish plan, and that what we really want is that the provisions of the parish plan or the pilot scheme—call it what you may—should be superimposed on the existing schemes especially oriented to the drumlin problem and, if that were followed through, we would have virtually the optimum programme for meeting these problems with which every Minister for Agriculture is inundated?

The Deputy seems to assume that this is the only difficult soil condition in the country. There are many others as well.

Question No. 16.

Let the Minister finish his answer.

I have finished.

The Minister knows that what I am saying is true.

Question No. 16.

I know what the Deputy is saying but I do not agree that it is true.

Will the Minister agree that flooding is the cause of a lot of this? Would the Minister do something in the Shannon country to improve the situation?

That seems to be a different question. It does not seem to arise on this question.

It does arise.

Question No. 16.

(Interruptions.)

Question No. 16. Will the Deputies allow Questions to continue?

The Minister and Mr. Lenihan called a press conference about the 1,000 forged letters.

(Interruptions.)

(Cavan): The Minister was glad to get the case settled.

At the request of a Fine Gael Deputy the case was quashed.

How this arises out of the drumlin soil question I do not know. Question No. 16.

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