asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a decision has been made to provide meat at a cheap rate to social welfare beneficiaries under the EEC scheme.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cheap Meat Scheme.
76.
It has not yet been decided whether this country will participate in the EEC cheap beef scheme.
Seeing that the butter vouchers have had the effect of removing some of the butter mountain, would the Minister consider adopting a similar scheme in regard to our beef mountain in intervention with the consequent high cost to the Exchequer of maintaining it there? This would be beneficial not alone to the recipients of social welfare but to the Exchequer as well.
I can only repeat what I said, that no decision has been made. I do not want to abrogate my responsibilities in this matter, but it is a matter for the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries. The Minister for Social Welfare and his Department act as an agent for him in the administration of the scheme.