Vol. 266 No. 10
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he is aware of the concern among growers of early potatoes in the State at reports of large scale importation, legal and otherwise, of early table potatoes; if he will state the quantity imported under authorisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
109.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he is aware that Cyprus-grown potatoes have been freely available in retail shops in Dublin during May and June; and, if so, if this development took place with the Government's consent.
I propose, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, with your permission to take Questions Nos. 108 and 109 together.
I have not granted any licences for the importation of early table potatoes. Illegal importation would be a matter for the Revenue Commissioners.
How does the Minister account for the fact that shops all over Dublin were full of potatoes carrying tags "Cyprus", "Israel" and so on if no authorisation was given for their import?
There is, unfortunately, such a thing as smuggling.
Does the Minister then agree there was large-scale smuggling of early potatoes into the State during the last few weeks? He must from what he says now.
I think the Deputy will also agree that the price of the new potato crop is still very high. There were some imports—there is no doubt about that—illegal imports.
I think the Minister will also agree that the growers of early potatoes in my constituency and, I am sure, in many other constituencies are very concerned about this importation, legal or otherwise, of these potatoes.
I have told the Deputy that they are illegal imports. This goes on, unfortunately. It is a matter for the Revenue Commissioners.
Will the Minister state if his Department took any action with regard to the importation of this type of potato? It could be serious from very many points of view? I am sure he will agree with that.
This, again, is not a matter for my Department.
The Minister states this is not a matter for his Department and he apparently wishes to pass on responsibility for dealing with the situation to the Revenue Commissioners. Surely, if these potatoes are imported legally——
Illegally.
——illegally they are imported in contravention of the hygiene regulations of his Department and he could, therefore, take action with regard to them.
I think everybody knows it is very difficult to catch these people. Various efforts have been made and some have been prosecuted.
Surely if these potatoes are on public display as such in retail outlets in the city it would be open to the inspectors of the Minister's Department to seize under his hygiene and health regulations.
There is a good deal of difficulty, as the Deputy knows, in getting identification or proof that they are Cypriot potatoes.
Will the Minister not agree it is a remarkable fact that tons —maybe hundreds of tons; it must have been considering the amount of them on display in Dublin—were imported and no action whatever was taken?
I think the Deputy's statement is grossly exaggerated because if it were not the price of early potatoes in this country would not still be £90 and over.
May I ask the Minister whether, in fact, the quantity be large or small, he is not very perturbed as to the danger of the importation of disease which could adversely affect our own crops in the future, which may be even more important than the actual situation that obtains at the moment?
Yes. We are always perturbed if there is something that is likely to cause or possibly could cause disease, but it is very difficult to catch these things. Everybody knows what the Border is like here.
Were any efforts made at all about this? I do not think there were any efforts made because there was a scarcity. If there had been a glut there would have been a whole lot of noise about it.
Did the Minister's Department make any assessment of the quantity that may have come into the country? He tells me I am grossly exaggerating when I say hundreds of tons but, in view of the amount on display in this city of Dublin, it certainly was a very large quantity.
They were from Rush though.
I do not know whether they were from Rush or Cyprus or Israel. There were all sorts of tags on them. They might have been from Kilmore.
Is the Minister aware that practically every retail grocer and greengrocer in this city had these potatoes for sale? I would just like to comment, if I may, that Irish people prefer to buy the Irish potato rather than the imported one. Can the Minister take any action against retailers who stock these potatoes.
Only if he can prove the origin of the potatoes.
The origin is branded on the bags.
Oh, come now.
