asked the Minister for Finance if he accepts the report of the Northern Ireland Pigs Marketing Board that 12,000 pigs a week are smuggled into the Republic from Northern Ireland; and, if so, if the Government is satisfied with Border security in this regard, North and South; and if he has any proposals to rectify the situation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Pig Smuggling.
102.
I have no reason to believe that pigs are smuggled into the State on the scale mentioned by the Deputy and I am satisfied that the Customs staff engaged on Border control are taking all possible steps to curb the smuggling of these animals.
Does the Minister suggest that pigs are not being smuggled into the Twenty-six Counties?
No. I have no reason to believe that they are being smuggled on the scale suggested by the Deputy in his Question.
Does the Minister take into consideration Press statements which have appeared in papers over the last few months stating that thousands of pigs per week are smuggled into the Twenty-six Counties?
I have seen the statements, but I think they have been of an alarmist nature. There is no evidence that they are justified. The Customs authorities and other personnel in Border areas are keeping a very close watch on the situation and it is improbable that smuggling on the scale suggested could have taken place.
Does the Minister suggest that the statements made by prominent members of the IFA and other bodies are utter lies?
No.
What is the Minister saying?
People might be mistakenly overstating the situation.
Is it not possible for the Minister to determine from the numbers of the pig herds in the country, which can be readily determined, and from the number of pigs slaughtered in our factories that these two figures taken together show that large numbers of Six County pigs are being slaughtered in southern factories?
As the Deputy will appreciate, the Department of Finance would not have detailed information about the stocks of pigs in the country. I am, therefore, not in a position to answer the specific question which the Deputy puts to me but we have made inquiries in this matter of the Pigs and Bacon Commission and they are satisfied that the report of the level of smuggling can be discounted. I feel they are pretty familiar with the domestic situation.
The views of the Pigs and Bacon Commission, while very valuable, might not be totally disinterested because their ultimate interest is to slaughter pigs and make profit from their slaughter. It is necessary for the Government to take a larger view to ensure that the pigs slaughtered are pigs from within the State.
I am sure the Deputy is not for one moment suggesting that the Pigs and Bacon Commission would be an accessory to smuggling or that they would even want to diminish the problem. The House may be assured that everything that can be done to ensure that no smuggling takes place is being done.
I was merely stating that the business of the Pigs and Bacon Commission is to sell the maximum amount of bacon at a profit. That is their business. They are not an anti-smuggling organisation.
No, but we are.
The Minister must be aware that the Pigs and Bacon Commission, I am sure, would not in any way be implicated in smuggling but their interest would not be as great as that of a producer of pigs. The pig producers have issued Press statements that a large number of pigs are being imported and I think the Minister could not ignore that.
The House may be assured that no report is ignored. It is investigated and the Customs authorities are ever watchful. They are satisfied that smuggling on the scale suggested has not taken place.
The pigs keep coming South.