asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if, in view of the market prospects in the EEC for mutton and lamb, he has any plans in mind to increase the sheep population in the country.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Membership of EEC.
29.
My Department are giving considerable assistance to the sheep industry both by headage grants on the farm and by export subsidies on mutton and lamb shipped to Britain at rates equivalent to the rates of deficiency payments made by the British Government to home producers. The headage grants were increased by 50 per cent last year and were extended to lowland hogget ewes as well as to mountain lamb and mountain hogget ewes.
In the mountain areas, where headage grants have been in operation since 1966, there is evidence that numbers are now increasing. The extension of the hogget ewe grant of £1.50 to the lowlands since last year should, likewise, be effective in increasing numbers.
Will the Minister not admit that the considerable assistance he mentions must be a failure because over the last five years the sheep population has dropped by over one million? Does the Minister not think the time has now arrived to devise some scheme to encourage sheep production in this country in view of the good prospects when we enter the EEC?
As the first part of the Deputy's supplementary is incorrect, the second does not arise.
If the Minister knows anything about agriculture he must know that the sheep population has declined by one million over the last five years. The Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries admitted this in reply to a question recently.
I have the figures for the last five years and they do not portray that.
It may be six years.
Let us be correct.
In the last six years the sheep population has declined by over one million. If the Minister cannot answer the question he should not try to be smart.
I endeavour to be correct. I wish the Deputy would do the same.
The Government are seldom correct. Certainly they were not correct at the RDS. They were the laughing stock of the whole nation and the whole world. The Minister should not try to be correct here.