Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 16 Dec 1982

Vol. 339 No. 3

Pigs and Bacon Act, 1935 (Part II) (No. 9) Regulations, 1982 and Agricultural Produce (Fresh Meat) Act, 1930 (Exporter's Licences) (Fees) (No. 2) Regulations, 1982: Motion.

Minister for Agriculture (Mr. Deasy)

I move:

That Dáil Éireann approves the following Regualtions in draft:

Pigs and Bacon Act, 1935 (Part II) (No. 9) Regulations, 1982 and

Agricultural Produce (Fresh Meat) Act, 1930 (Exporter's Licences) (Fees) (No. 2) Regulations, 1982

copies of which were laid in draft before the Dáil on the 14th day of December, 1982.

Fees are payable to the Department of Agriculture in respect of cattle, horses, sheep and pigs presented for veterinary inspection at meat factories under the Fresh Meat Acts and the Pigs and Bacon Acts. The present rates of fees are quite inadequate to meet the cost of the veterinary inspection service provided by my Department. The cost of providing these services has increased sharply in recent years. This is mainly attributable to increased salaries and inflation as well as to some expansion in the industry and increased diversification. The previous Government decided that these fees should be brought more into line with the cost of the service and had in fact made provision accordingly in the Appropriations-in-Aid of the Estimate for Agriculture for 1983.

The draft regulations now before the House propose to raise the fee for cattle from £1.75 to £2.20 per head, for sheep from 30p to 38p per head and for horses from £1.75 to £2.20 per head. For pigs the proposal is to increase the fee from 50p to 72p. This will bring receipts more into line with the true cost of the inspection service in that area.

On the basis of the rates proposed, the receipts will be £3.4 million in a full year while the cost of the meat service is estimated at £5.4 million. I propose to bring the increases into effect on 1 January 1983. It is my intention to increase correspondingly the fees in respect of veterinary inspection of live animals as from the same date.

Mr. Lenihan

First of all, may I congratulate you, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle and assure you of support from all sides of the House in the discharge of your duties? I should also like to congratulate my successor. We have been friends and colleagues here and have had an odd joust over the years. In many areas we were opposite each other, when he was spokesman on Fisheries and I was Minister for Fisheries. I found him always constructive in his contributions in the House. I propose to be constructive in my agricultural brief on this side of the House because in agriculture it is improtant that we establish a consensus. Agriculture is the fundamental industry in this country. It is concerned now primarily with obtaining the best we can out of the Common Agricultural Policy. In that area whoever is elected Minister for Agriculture speaks for all Ireland and the interest of all farmers, indeed in the interests of the nation as a whole. Improved farming here constitutes not merely good business for the farmer but for the nation as a whole.

The motion before the House is a practical one that has transcended now two Governments, the previous Coalition Government and the last one in which I was Minister for Agriculture. Both Governments had embarked on a rational policy of bringing the fees for services into line with their cost. The reality is apparent from the figures the Minister has quoted in that the cost of these veterinary services in regard to slaughterings of cattle, sheep, horses and pigs amounts to £5.4 million while the receipts amount to £3.4 million. One must make some effort at an equalisation of the cost of veterinary services, seeking to obtain some revenue from these services that would go some way towards diminishing the overall cost to the State of providing essential veterinary services. Veterinary services in this area of meat slaughtering are essential. If such services are to be provided then there should be some rational contribution from the industry involved. The contribution being sought is of the order of £3.4 million as opposed to a cost of £5.4 million. As far as this side of the House is concerned that represents a reasonable approach on the part of the Minister and Government.

As far as we are concerned there is no opposition to this proposal. I would have had to introduce the motion in exactly the same terms were I still sitting where the Minister is now.

Mr. Deasy

I thank Deputy Lenihan for his constructive approach in this matter. I thank him also for his very kind words of congratulation. Indeed, I should like to thank all Members of the House who have been so magnanimous in their congratulations on my appointment. The unanimity of the good wishes expressed to me have been overcoming. I hope this attitude of goodwill will prevail throughout the term of this Government.

I might add that farmers and agricultural interests generally will find me an easy person to speak to, a good listener. I hope I will be able to assist them in solving their problems and, in the course of doing so, also do a good job for the industry and the nation generally.

I should like to congratulate the Leas-Cheann Comhairle on his well deserved, long overdue appointment. I wish him a happy tenure of office.

Question put and agreed to.

Minister for Agriculture (Mr. Deasy)

I understand, Sir that there is no immediate business to be conducted in the House at present. Therefore I would ask that we have a suspension of business until 12.30 p.m. when I believe the Taoiseach will have some announcements to make.

Sitting suspended at 12.10 p.m. and resumed at 12.30 p.m.