I should like to contribute a few words on this Estimate. I was not in the House when the Minister introduced his Estimate but I have read his opening statement. I congratulate the Minister. He is doing a good job. He came up in the same school as I did with Macra na Feirme and so on. His is a difficult task.
Coming from the west of Ireland, I had certain reservations about our entry into the EEC but I supported our entry as strongly as possible. I was in Paris about 12 years ago at an international conference of agricultural producers and I knew what we were up against; I knew the competition we would have to face. I knew the small man would have a hard fight for survival. I also knew there was no alternative. I knew we would have to drive a hard bargain to get the best we could, particularly for agriculture. The principal base for us was the common agricultural policy and I am glad to note from the Minister's speech that he is trying to get that applied to sheep as well as to land. This is of vital importance. More important still from the point of view of the west is the question as to what we are going to get out of the fund and what directives there will be in relation to making farms in the west viable.
What is the attitude of the EEC towards directing funds for the purpose of land drainage? The first thing we have to do is to drain the land. It is no good ploughing money in unless you first drain. I was astonished to learn that drainage is not a priority in the EEC. I was rather disappointed about this because we sold the EEC to the people in the west on the ground that we would be able to get plenty out of the fund to do land settlement and to drain land. We have several major rivers; we have the Shannon, the Dunkellin and the Fergus.
I am glad the land project is to continue. It is most important that these schemes should continue. Several LIS are held up because the levels are wrong and so drainage cannot be done; neither can any land project scheme be done, or anything else, until drains are opened. It is of vital importance to make the holdings in the west viable and, to make them viable, something will have to be done about drainage. If we do not get money for that, then I do not know how a man can be expected to prepare a farm plan. I am all for farm planning and keeping accounts. But these things are useless unless he is put in a position in which his farm is viable. Perhaps the Minister will tell us what pressure is being put on the EEC. Where does drainage stand in the list of priorities?
People may accuse me of being parochial. That may be so, but I know a great many people in the west who are looking forward to what will come from the directives designed to make small farms viable. I may be knocking at an open door where drainage is concerned, but I urge the Minister to press this matter.
Money will also have to be directed into land settlement because, unless the farmers have the land, we cannot have a viable agricultural industry.
I have always been very keen on balancing the economy even before we entered the EEC. I actually wrote an article on it. I believe not enough is being done about it. Since I was a boy, and that was not yesterday, I have heard various Ministers plugging different commodities. I remember when we were to drown Britain with eggs. I remember other commodities being plugged. Supply and demand govern world markets and they will continue to do so as long as the market is there. Not enough effort is being made to balance our economy. We go all out for a particular commodity. At the moment we know beef is good and will be good for some time. Where the tillage farmer is concerned, it was not economical to till for the last two years. I heard a great deal about the fierce shortage of potatoes last year. Two years ago I had to throw them out on the side of the road because I could get nobody to buy them. No attempt has been made by the Department to balance the economy and ensure an adequate supply of all agricultural commodities.
Now how can this be done within the context of the EEC? This is something I tried to point out before we entered the EEC. Within the context of the EEC it is not possible to subsidise by way of price but there are other ways to subsidise and thus balance the economy. It would be possible to subsidise the man who engages in tillage to ensure that his income is nearly on par with that of other sections. I congratulate the Minister on having a floor price for potatoes, although I do not think it is high enough.
I am convinced there is nothing in the Treaty of Rome that prevents subsidisation. I think the Department have made a big mistake in this matter. I remember when we were told we could not produce enough milk, but now the EEC are paying farmers to get out of milk production. It is important that we balance our economy and ensure we do not have all our eggs in one basket. I am glad that the land project and other schemes that are of vital importance to farmers can be continued. Worthwhile results have been achieved by the land project scheme, particularly in my area.
The Minister referred to the eradication of disease in cattle, particularly brucellosis and tuberculosis. These schemes are in operation in County Galway and there has been a considerable number of reactors. It is wrong that a month should elapse before these animals are bought from the farmers. I do not think we tightened up the TB eradication scheme sufficiently; a considerable number of cattle have reacted and this should not have happened.
