asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the yield of ¼d per lb. levy retained by him from the Beef Export Guarantee Scheme Subsidy in order to finance Córas Beostoic agus Feola; the amount paid over to CBF; the amounts expended by CBF in (a) promoting live cattle and (b) promoting meat exports.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Beef Export Guarantee Scheme.
28.
The ¼d per lb. referred to since it became effective in January, 1969, is estimated to represent a total sum of approximately £455,000 by the end of the present financial year. Exchequer payments to CBF in the same period total £299,300. I am informed that CBF have spent about £133,000 on the promotion of live cattle exports and about £100,000 on the promotion of meat exports, the balance of the funds paid to them being used for general administrative purposes.
This levy, which was introduced in order to finance CBF, was in effect a deception because it is evident from the figures that it is not being used to finance CBF and the farmers are losing extra subsidies.
I do not accept that that is so. CBF expenditure was naturally small in the beginning but it is latterly on a substantially increasing scale. In fact it has not yet caught up with the cumulative proceeds of the farthing diverted from the CBF levy, but it is expected to do so in the coming year.
Córas Tráchtála, which undertakes promotion in the industrial field, is financed by direct State subvention. Why should this scheme be financed from a levy taken out of the farmers' pockets?
I understand this scheme is generally acceptable and is doing quite an amount of good work.
Acceptable to whom?
I am calling Question No. 29.
I have asked the Minister a supplementary question.
Question 29 was called. I was obeying the Chair.
The Minister is not always as orderly. The Minister has said it is acceptable. By whom is it acceptable?
To the general farming community.
I can assure the Minister I would not have put the question down if the scheme was acceptable.