asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the results of the research announced in paragraph 5.39 of the Third Programme for Economic and Social Development on increasing cattle numbers for beef production without further increasing milk production and in particular of the study of the use of non-arable land for beef cow herds; and if these results have resulted in any changes in Government policy.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Beef Production Research.
68.
Reports on research carried out by An Foras Talúntais on increasing cattle numbers for beef production, including experiments in the development of the once-calved heifer system, have appeared in various technical journals of the institute and in the publication, "Beef in the Seventies", issued last year. Experiments in connection with the use of non-arable land for beef cow herds have been undertaken on the institute's lands at Maam, County Galway, and I understand satisfactory progress is being made.
Government agricultural policies take account of research and technical developments but in our situation they are, as the Deputy will appreciate, largely dictated by national and international market and price considerations.
Would the Minister consider that the results of the research being carried out at Maam would indicate that any financial incentive might be warranted to encourage cattle production in non-arable areas?
The experiment at Maam is part of a continuous process. As the Deputy will probably agree, it is likely that in the future the use of marginal land of the kind we are discussing will become profitable for use in cattle-raising.