asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he is aware of the discontent among the farming community over the delays in carrying out the second inspection under the beef cattle incentive scheme; and, if he will take steps to rectify the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Beef Incentive Scheme.
24.
There is no undue delay in carrying out the second official inspections under the beef cattle incentive scheme.
In view of the fact that in certain cases, particularly in the south, it will be Christmas before they have the second test and that a large number of applicants are anxious to dispose of cattle before the winter, does the Minister consider this a delay?
The question was put down by Deputy Donnellan of Galway and in that county there are 8,800 applicants for the beef cattle incentive scheme. This requires the extension of the inspection period at both ends; as Deputies will recall, it is extended forward to 1st March and at the other end to 31st December. What Deputy Creed has said is probably right, but the great mass of cattle in Galway and elsewhere have already had their second inspections. The net point here is that the great success of the beef cattle incentive scheme requires greater time to carry them out, but there is no undue delay that causes unnecessary difficulty to people. However, if there are such and Deputies bring them to my notice I shall have them looked into.
Is the problem lack of staff in this section of the Department?
No. It is the extraction of the maximum value out of the work of the staff.
What does that mean?
The number of cattle being treated under the scheme extended very rapidly and in order to deal with that the period of inspection was extended at both ends; it was made earlier in the first part of the year and later at the end of the year. This is to ensure that the work is carried out satisfactorily and that existing staff can do it.
Can the Minister say how he reconciles that with the suggestion that the problem arises from the scheme being unexpectedly successful. Either the Minister planned adequately for it or he did not. He cannot have his cake and eat it.
There are no detectable deficiencies in it, to my knowledge——
Except that it does not work.
——and I have no fear that the second inspections which are scheduled to finish on 31st December will not be done well by that time.
Accepting that it is a success and that there are a large number of applicants, does the Minister agree that this is at the expense of the dairying industry——
No.
——having regard to the number of people who have changed to it because of the uneconomic price paid for milk?
No. It arises out of the exercise of the choice by individual farmers to opt for the incentive scheme rather than milk. It may well be that the situation will be altered in the future.
25.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if, in view of numerous complaints regarding payment of grants under the beef cattle incentive scheme, he will undertake to review cases in which forms B.S. 42 were alleged by his Department to have been received after the statutory date of July 31st, 1971.
A few days grace were allowed for possible postal delay when form B.S. 42 did not reach the local office by 31st July. Any further relaxation of requirements in this direction would not, in my view, be justified.
Any animal which was not accepted under the scheme at the summer inspection but which was accepted at the autumn inspection, can qualify for grant if present in the herd and accompanied by a calf at the next subsequent inspection.