Vol. 271 No. 5
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he is satisfied that all Charolais cross and Fleckvieh cross bulls in respect of which licences were issued in 1973 were used only in suckler herds of more than 20 females; if he has received any reports on the quality of the progeny of such bulls; and if the quality justifies the continuance of the scheme.
216.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the number of (a) Charolais cross bulls and (b) Fleckvieh cross bulls in respect of which licences were issued in 1973; and if he has revoked or proposes to revoke any of those licences during the coming year.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 215 and 216 together.
Licences were issued in 1973 for 331 Charolais-cross and 50 Fleckviehcross bulls. The licences are issued only to applicants who have declared that they are the owners of suckler herds containing at least 20 breeding females and the bulls may be used only in these herds. The progeny will be due for inspection over the next few months and on the basis of the reports of these inspections it will be decided whether individual licences will be revoked and, in fact, whether the scheme should be discontinued.
The Dáil adjourned at 5 p.m. until 3 p.m. on Tuesday, 26th March, 1974.
