asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will restore the AI subsidy, particularly in view of the proposed control of bulls for breeding legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
11.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - AI Subsidy Scheme.
10.
asked the Minister for Agriculture the progress being made with regard to the restoration of the AI subsidy which was reduced recently.
12.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is prepared to give increased finance to the AI subsidy fund; and, if not, the reason.
13.
(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will reintroduce the AI subsidy scheme.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 to 13, inclusive, together.
There is no provision in the Estimates for the operation of an AI subsidy scheme.
Could the Minister state the total amount of money lost from Brussels because of the termination of that scheme? Is he aware of the rather alarming drop in AI usage this year? Because of the forthcoming legislation on the control of bulls for breeding, will the lack of a subsidy for AI cause undue hardship for small farmers?
Council Regulation EC 1054/81 established a common measure for the development of beef cattle production in the Republic and Northern Ireland. Among many other things, the regulation included measures to encourage the greater use of AI. The subsidy amounted to £4.94 for the first insemination for beef breeds. Reimbursement from FEOGA was at the rate of 50 per cent.
The programme was subsequently extended to 30 April and it then terminated. Expenditure on the basis of the rate of £4.94 amounted to over £6 million per annum. In June 1984 the Government authorised the continuation of the subsidy at a reduced rate of £2.50. However, this scheme terminated on 31 December 1984 and there is no financial provision for its continuation after that date.
We are losing a sum of £3 million from Brussels.
There is no scheme in Brussels.
The Minister referred to a scheme in his reply.
I said that the scheme was terminated on 30 April 1984.
I am arguing that it should be continued.
We debated this for a couple of days at least in relation to a Bill concerning bulls.
It will be coming up again shortly.
In the interests of progress, we should wait for the next debate to discuss this matter further.
In view of the fact that the fund is available in Brussels——
It is not——
Is it correct to say that a 50 per cent subsidy is available from Brussels for this scheme at present if our Government provide the other 50 per cent?
It was cut off.
The Minister was asked a question and he should be allowed to answer it.
My information is that this programme was extended to 30 April 1984 and was then terminated.
It was terminated by our Government, and, therefore, the subsidy was no longer applicable because of the fact that the Minister decided not to spend the money in this country. Therefore there was no question of the money being requested from the EC.
It was the other way round. We had to spend all the money and then we got a reimbursement from FEOGA. The scheme was terminated and there was nobody to get reimbursement from. We continued the scheme for a limited period of six months at a reduced rate — in other words, at the rate we had always been paying.
It was a Government decision to discontinue the payment of this subsidy and, as a result of that Government decision, there was no need to go to Brussels to negotiate the 50 per cent subsidy they had been giving us. As Deputy Walsh said, we decided to forget about the £3 million, or thereabouts, we were getting from Brussels.
This is developing into a long question.
Will the Minister comment on the undoubted difficulties now being caused for farmers and people in the lime business as a result of this Government decision as all Deputies in the west of Ireland have been made aware by the various companies involved?
The programme was terminated on 30 April 1984.
By whom?
By Brussels.
It was terminated here because the Government would not pay the 50 per cent.
Deputy McCartin.
The Minister should be allowed to answer my questions to put it on the record that what he is saying is not correct. Will the Minister agree——
The Deputy was not here when I made an appeal——
I was here.
I do not think so.
I was listening to you.
(Limerick West): A Cheann Comhairle, you took four questions together.
They are all on the same topic. It would be crazy not to take them together.
I asked two questions because I am satisfied the information the Minister has given is not correct.
Will Deputy Fahey please resume his seat? If the Minister wishes to answer your question he is at liberty to do so. I am calling Deputy McCartin from that side of the House.
I have a question down.
I will call you in a minute.
Does the Minister agree that this subsidy was discontinued because the regulation under which it was paid expired?
That is nonsense. Why is it continued in the North of Ireland?
Because it is a different regulation. Many different regulations apply to different regions. This regulation cannot be renewed except on a proposal made by the Commission and agreed by the Council. The Commission have not made a proposal and have not agreed to make a proposal.
Deputy McCartin should confine himself to a question.
That was a question.
It sounded like giving information.
Is the Minister aware of the fact that it is very important that our farmers should produce the right type of cattle to get the maximum prices that are available? Every six months the EC are implementing new grading systems and new price systems. If our farmers cannot produce the quality cattle needed for that market, they will be out of pocket.
This is a speech.
I am asking the Minister is he aware of what I am saying.
The Deputy could bring in the Meath Chronicle and ask if the Minister was aware of all that was in it and read it from cover to cover and we would be here for a month.
It is relevant to the question I put down.
In all seriousness the Deputy is making a good argument from his point of view, but it is not a question.
I am asking the Minister is he aware of the serious effect this measure will have on quality cattle.
That does not make it a question. The Deputy is giving information. He is not seeking information.
I am asking the Minister is he aware of the serious implications it will have on farmers' incomes.
That does not make it a question.
The Minister is refusing to answer the question.
I am not. I do not know whether the Deputy is aware that AI is being used freely.
Is the Minister aware that many farmers cannot afford to pay the extra cost?
I am not so aware.
The Minister will find that out very shortly.
Deputy Noonan, the man in charge.
(Limerick West): Is the Minister aware that this regulation has not expired in the EC, that it is applicable to Northern Ireland farmers and other farmers in other member states? The information he has given the House is not correct?
The regulation was terminated on 30 April 1984.
(Limerick West): That was not the question. Is the Minister aware that the regulation is applicable in other member states including Northern Ireland?
I am not.
(Limerick West): It was not applied here because the Minister did not apply for its continuation.
The decision was taken by the Commission.
Order. Deputies should not ignore the Chair. I am not thinking up as I go along these rulings which I am trying to impose. They were here long before any of us came into the House. This is the book of precedents and rulings. The purpose of asking supplementary questions is to seek information, not to impart it or to keep asking the Minister whether he is aware of a certain matter. There are ten precedents for that. I did not think it up. As I said in a jocose way, you could bring in a local newspaper, ask was the Minister aware and read the whole shooting gallery to him.
Is the Minister aware of the impact of the removal of the subsidy on the cattle breeding programme?
It has not had any ill effect on the cattle breeding programme at all. I am so concerned about the cattle breeding programme that I am reintroducing bull licensing.
Is the Minister aware of the drop in the AI service?
I will give the Deputy the figures. We are on target with regard to the AI services.