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Seanad Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 21 May 1941

Vol. 25 No. 13

Dairy Produce (Amendment) Bill, 1941—Second Stage.

Question proposed: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time."

The main purpose of this Bill is to adjust certain matters relating to the export of butter and the collection of fees which have been affected by the present emergency. As the Bill was being introduced for that purpose, advantage was taken of the occasion to introduce a few other amendments to the legislation already in being. I am sure the House is aware that, at the beginning of the war, the Minister of Food in Great Britain decided that it would be more convenient for the British to purchase any imported commodities from some sort of central exporting agency on this side. We were faced, therefore, with the necessity of establishing some such machinery.

There was a Butter Marketing Committee operating here following the passage of the Dairy Produce (Price Stabilisation) Act, in 1935. That committee had taken an interest in the export of butter in the way of advice more than anything else. They had advised the creameries what quantities to export and the more profitable markets that would be found for that butter. As the committee was there, naturally it was selected as the best body for the central export of butter. Now, the Committee really had not the powers it should have had for this purpose. There were three consequences of this change. Butter had to be exported by a body which legally was not competent to do so. The new change also did away to a certain extent with my powers of control over the making of butter. It also took away my right to collect fees on export. Under the main Act the export of butter is confined to persons registered in certain registers under the Act. This committee was not registered. It is true, of course, that it could register, but there would be needless expenditure, as they would need premises which were not necessary for any reason but that of registration.

Under the main Act also, I can only interfere with the manufacturers of butter where it is being exported by the manufacturer. There again, seeing that the butter was passed on from the creamery to this committee, my right of interference with the creameries was largely removed. With regard to fees, they were fixed in the main Act at 4d. per cwt. on the exported butter. At the time the main Act was going through, the greater part of the creamery butter was exported. Now, however, we export only about one-third of the total output of creamery butter. Although the output has gone up considerably, it appears that the amount of butter consumed at home has gone up also. It does appear to be rather unfair now, on account of that change, that the one-third exporting butter should pay the fees and the other two-thirds pay none. It is proposed in this Bill, therefore, to remedy that by putting 2d. per cwt. on all butter produced, whether exported or sold at home. We are providing in this Bill that that fee be collected on all butter produced. It will make very little difference in the total amount collected. I think the amount contributed averaged about £6,000 per annum. If the output this year remains the same as last year, the amount would be £6,250.

We are taking the opportunity to make other amendments in the main Act. The principal thing is that we are taking power to prescribe qualifications for managers of auxiliary creameries. Up to this point, qualifications were prescribed for managers of central creameries, but now we wish to deal with the managers of auxiliaries and the assistant managers of central creameries. When the original Act was passed, the training of creamery managers was on an unorganised basis—it was in its infancy—but since then University College, Cork, has turned out a number of trained men. There are men available now for these positions and it is a pity that they should not be appointed wherever a vacancy occurs. My intention is not to disturb the managers already there in the auxiliary creameries if they are carrying out their work satisfactorily —and I am quite sure that practically all of them are acting in a satisfactory manner—but where vacancies arise trained men will be appointed and, as the years go on, we may expect to have more efficient management both in the auxiliaries and in the centrals.

There are something like 300 auxiliary creameries in the country. A very small proportion have trained men at the present time, and, when they all have trained men, we can expect to see a further improvement in the industry. Undoubtedly, there has been a wonderful improvement in the quality of creamery butter since the main Act was passed in 1924. With further progress, both in management and in other ways, we expect to have the reputation of our creamery butter increased even further.

Question put and agreed to.

Leas-Chathaoirleach

When is it proposed to take the Committee Stage?

Why not take it now?

As we are going to have another meeting on Tuesday, we should leave it till then. On principle, I think it is undesirable to drift into the practice of taking all stages together.

That is all right, but I would ask the Seanad, if possible, to give the remaining stages on Tuesday next. I would like to have this Bill on the 31st May.

Committee Stage ordered for Tuesday, 27th May.
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