asked the Minister for Agriculture the action he proposes to take to ensure that farm output is not greatly reduced due to the substantial drop in the use of fertilisers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Use of Fertiliser.
5.
On numerous occasions farmers have been strongly advised by me and by the advisory services that notwithstanding the higher prices for fertilisers they should avoid the false economy of reducing fertiliser use, and thus jeopardising production. The effects of this advise are clearly shown in the increased fertiliser sales in 1975-76 as compared with the preceding year. The increases were of the order of 15 per cent for nitrogen, 16 per cent for phosphate and 29 per cent for potash. The upward trend has continued in the current 1976-77 fertiliser year.
Is the Minister aware that in the introduction of the Supplementary Estimate prior to adjournment at Christmas it was stated by the Parliamentary Secretary replying for the Minister that there was a saving of £800,000 on fertiliser subsidy which would represent 80,000 tons of phosphate? We were told in the month of December that this drop-off has been arrested. How have we evidence of that?
Do not ask me. We put more than enough money into the Estimates last year in anticipation of farmers using more, but they simply did not use it to the extent that we hoped and expected they would. That is why there was something left in the Estimate. Ample provision was made.
Can the Minister tell us the additional amount that was put into the Estimate?
Off the cuff I cannot. I have told the Deputy the increases in the uses of fertiliser. Fertiliser usage has gone up again and farmers are now spending much more money on fertilisers than they were before the price went up.
Fertiliser prices have trebled. For the Minister to tell us now that the farmers are spending more money on them is no indication of the use of fertilisers. Also in his reply to Deputy Leonard he quoted percentages——
Deputy Callanan, we must proceed by way of relevant and brief questions.
I will sit down if you tell me Sir, but some questions go on here for ten minutes which are not as important as this one.
I am telling the Deputy that he will have to conform to the rules of Question Time by way of question rather than statement or speech-making.
The Minister gave percentages. Would he give percentages of increase since 1973 before the terrible disaster of 1974 when people had no money to buy fertilisers? Have we an increase in the use of fertilisers since 1973?
No, we have a reduction.
A decrease?
Yes.
A huge decrease.
Yes.
Why did the Department reduce the subsidy when there were 80,000 tons of phosphate less being used?
We are members of the EEC and we had to keep this subsidy for European fertilisers the same as it was for UK and Irish and the reduction is 70p a ton. If that is going to influence farmers in the amount of fertiliser they use they have less brains than I thought they have.
Are there any plans in the Minister's Department to encourage the use of fertilisers?
Some Deputies do not seem to look at television, read newspapers or seek advice from any source. We have set up a committee and there has been more work done in trying to induce farmers to put on fertiliser than has ever been done in the history of the country before.
No. 6 please, next question.
Is the Minister being true to the farmers?