asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if 15,000 tons of barley have been exported from the Republic to Northern Ireland; and, if so, if any profiteering was involved.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Barley Exports.
28.
Barley exports to Northern Ireland since 1st February, 1973, have been about 15,000 tons. As these exports were ordinary commercial transactions, I have no information on their profitability. However, the relatively small quantity of barley exported which is about 5 per cent of estimated stocks on 1st February would suggest that profits on exports were not unduly attractive.
Do I take it that the Minister discounts the newspaper reports that a tidy sum was made by some speculators in this way?
I am not discounting anything but simply staling that we have no power to stop this export from 1st February. If these people were fortunate enough to have 15,000 tons in stock of which they could profitably dispose the Department could do nothing.
May I ask if the Minister is considering reviewing the grants for the provision of storage on farms in the light of marketing conditions under the EEC regime? We are now changing from the context of a known fixed price to the farmer selling in the EEC market where selling conditions are altogether different and I think it would be well for the Minister and the Department to consider examining the value of the introduction of grants for farm storage of grain.
The Deputy will recall that when I was on the Opposition benches I pressed the Government at that time very strongly along those lines without result. The Deputy can possibly say that the whole position has changed since and he will be glad to know that I have already made provision for grants for such storage facilities on the farm.
Are there better grants available now?
Provided for in the budget.
Does the Minister mean more grants or better grants?
Grants for storage. There were no grants there for storage as such.
Are they given more per square foot?
These are new grants that did not exist previously-not for storage as such.
I do not understand the Minister. Is he now saying that he is giving more per square foot for grain storage than previously or is he providing for a greater quantity and giving the same price per square foot?
These are all new questions and very detailed in character. If the Deputy wishes to put down further questions I shall give him further replies.
Obviously, the grain storage is not going up.
We are doing now what the previous Government refused to do. We are providing grants now.
Do not try to be clever.
Was this 15,000 tons of grain home-produced or was it imported?
I cannot say for certain but I assume it was home-produced grain.
Arising out of the reply——
I am sorry, Deputy, but we must pass on to the next question.
This is my first supplementary question and it is an important one and I am not going back on last year. I want to know what is being done this year. I want to know what steps the Minister is taking this year to ensure that there will be no export of barley——
That does not arise.
No steps can be taken. You cannot do anything about the export of barley now.