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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 21 May 1974

Vol. 272 No. 12

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Meal Prices.

23.

asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the effect he estimates the abolition of An Bord Gráin has had on meal prices in the Republic, especially in so far as feeding barely for pig producers is concerned; and whether he has any proposals for preventing private speculators from cornering large amounts of barley and selling it at monopoly prices.

Because of the withdrawal of quantitative import controls on our accession to the EEC, An Bord Gráin could only have engaged in the marketing of feed grains on the same basis as a commercial organisation. Its continued existence on this basis would have had little or no effect on the prices since paid by pig producers for feed grains.

There is a free market here both in home-grown and imported grain and the prices are related to world prices. As these prices are subject to wide fluctuations from time to time both losses and gains can be incurred by the traders concerned. In these circumstances competition in the trade should be sufficient to prevent a monopoly situation arising.

Under which clause of the Treaty of Rome was that very valuable board disbanded? Under that board grain was subsidised in the poorer parts of Ireland.

They never subsidised grain.

I should have said freight, the transport of grain.

I am afraid I cannot answer that.

Questions Nos. 24 and 25 postponed.

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