asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if in view of the recent survey of An Foras Talúntais which seems to indicate that the use of imported pollard in pig feed may add at least 10/- to the cost of producing a pig, he intends to take steps to prevent the inclusion of low grade or defective pollards in compound pig feeds.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Imported Pollard.
11.
An Foras Talúntais have recently furnished to the Department a preliminary report on the outcome of trials carried out in relation to the use of imported pollard in pig rations. This report has been examined in consultation with An Foras and its implications are being considered.
Would the Minister not agree that the report indicates a great need for much more stringent inspection at the ports of all pollard coming into the country before it is put into compound feeds because once pollard has been put into compound feeds it is virtually indistinguishable? There is a need for a proper comprehensive system of inspection and if it is found that anybody attempts to bring in pollards that are defective, the Minister should insist that no further licences are issued to those people.
The matter is not as simple as the Deputy outlines. We have a system of inspection at the ports of entry in so far as pollard is concerned. It is one matter to describe pollard that may or may not be allowed in but to determine good or poor pollard is another matter because pollard can, as the term is, be "sweet and sound" but this is not the whole story. Pollard can come in sweet and sound as far as composition is concerned but it may not be as good as other pollard coming in under the same sort of determination.
The report we are studying at the moment deals with the merits of pollard and its application as a mixture in compound feeding. It does this in a much broader sense than is done in determining whether pollard is sweet and sound. I believe that the report may give us the answers to some of the problems in connection with this matter. It may also help to eradicate and relieve the pressure to bring in pollard to the extent that we are now doing.
In other words, the criteria being applied by the inspectors of the Department are inadequate and should be revised before any further harm is done?
Again, the Deputy is not on the ball. The same criteria in determining whether pollard is sweet and sound cannot be applied from season to season because pollard may differ in different seasons in different places or in the same season in different places. In so far as the quality of the pollard is concerned, it can be quite good in the overall sense but may vary considerably as to its feed value content from area to area of origin and from season to season in the same area.
Would the Minister not agree——
I am calling Question No. 12.