asked the Minister for Agriculture the controls he proposes to implement so that no further unlawful shipment of potatoes is brought into the country.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Potato Industry.
20.
I am not aware that any unlawful shipment of imported potatoes has taken place to date. The prevention of any such imports is a matter for the customs authorities with whom my Department maintain regular contact.
21.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will give details of his proposals to protect the Irish potatoindustry (1) in the short term and (2) in the long term.
The best way to counter imports from other member states of the Community is for the potato sector to provide a continuing supply of good quality, well-presented potatoes to the consumer. With this end in view discussions are currently taking place between my Department and the IFA Potato Committee on the best organisational structure to encourage this development. It now appears that a national potato co-operative would be the most appropriate type of body in present circumstances and discussions are proceeding with the objective of having such a body operational as soon as possible.
While we welcome the establishment of this potato co-operative if that is what it is to be called, that is in the long term. The first part of my question refers to the short term and in this respect I ask the Minister if he is aware of the enormous tonnages of potatoes coming in from Italy and Holland. If he is so aware, what does he propose to do about it since there is an cover-supply of Irish new potatoes on the market now?
The Deputy knows that since the harmonisation of EEC plant health regulations in 1980 there has been free inter-Community trade in potatoes. Accordingly, subject to plant health requirements, Community-produced potatoes have free access to our market just as our produce has free access to theirs.
I would like to ask the Minister if inspections are carried out at the point of entry and if he will agree that what I hear is true, that only spot checks are carried out. Does he consider it necessary at this stage that because the seed potatoes used in Italy are imported from Canada where there is a high incidence of ring rot, he insist now that every container of potatoes, whether it be of 25 kilograms or less, sack or otherwise, be inspected strictly?
I have checked out that point with regard to the origin of seed and I am informed that the seed does not originate in Canada for that very reason, the disease hazard.
I would like to tell the Minister——
Ask him a question.
Is he aware that his Department officials and officials of An Foras Talúntais tell me that potatoes are being imported from Canada to be used as seed in Italy and that these potatoes are now being imported into this country? Because it is so, will he now insist that every sack of potatoes imported here will be inspected?
I have checked that out with my Department and my information is that the seed does not come from Canada into Italy for the very reason that the Deputy gives.
Is the Minister aware that the potato industry in this country is at risk because of what is happening? Surely, since I have given him a way out, so to speak, it should be used. We ourselves must set out our own barriers to protect our own people——
A question.
——or is he too gentlemanly to do it?
No.
Will he insist on inspections which seem to be the answer to a major problem?
The Deputy knows that we are trying to do something very practical about it and that is to take on the Dutch and the Italians at their own game, in other words set up co-operatives with packing stations whereby our produce will be put on the market properly graded in a proper net packing attractive to the customer. That is the only way we can compete and that is how we propose to tackle the problem.
(Interruptions.)
Mr. Leonard
Would the Minister agree that we should have adequate potato inspectors as not so many are employed now due to the fall off in growing? Is it not possible to delegate them to each of the ports for a very close inspection of potato imports? Would he agree that while those potatoes appear to be all right the quality of some of them is atrocious and that we should have some system of checking them for table quality?
The customer will decide what she will buy and what she wants to eat. If the customer is unhappy about the quality I hope that she will buy Irish potatoes which are plentiful on the market at the moment and are of excellent quality.
I would like to ask a question.
It is not reasonable that we stay at this question all day.
Is the Minister aware that the market at present is being manipulated and that foreign potatoes such as I have mentioned are being offered at £9 whereas Irish potatoes of superior quality are being offered at £5? If he is so aware what does he propose to do about it?
If the customer is prepared to pay extra for Italian potatoes——
Does the Minister accept that the market is being manupulated?
I must move on.
I am aware that potatoes in my area are making well over the going rate of £5 and that the people concerned are more than happy with this.
(Interruptions.)
Order.