asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the approximate proportion of Irish farmers who consult their agricultural adviser at least once a year; and the extent to which this proportion has increased over the past five years.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Agricultural Advisory Service.
28.
About 36 per cent of the total number of farmers were visited by their county agricultural advisers at least once in the year 1969-70. The corresponding figure for 1965-66 was about 34 per cent. These figures do not include consultations made otherwise than by visits to farms, particulars of which are not available.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary not agree again that the relatively small increase here in the number of farmers who are consulting their agricultural advisers is a cause for serious concern for the same reason as I mentioned in relation to the last question.
I should like to point out that we would wish to see more and more farmers availing of the services of the agricultural instructors. I would say that the increase has been significant. Between 1965-66 and 1969-70 there was an increase of 41 per cent.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary know why approximately 55 per cent of our farmers do not consult their agricultural advisers? What is his view on that?
That is a separate question.
Surely that is the obverse of the reply?
We cannot have a debate on this question. The Estimate is before the House at the moment.
(Cavan): Would the Parliamentary Secretary agree that the campaign mounted to prepare the country for decimalisation succeeded in focusing the attention of the people on the necessity for preparing for it, and would he consider mounting a similar campaign to bring home to the farmers the necessity to avail of the technical assistance to prepare them for the EEC?
We are giving every encouragement to the farmers to avail of the agricultural advisory services.
(Cavan): The percentage is miserable. One-third of the farmers are not availing of them according to the Parliamentary Secretary's own figures.
It cannot be made compulsory for farmers to avail of the services which are there for them. We are availing of every opportunity to make them aware of the need to avail of these services.
(Cavan): You are not succeeding.