asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he is aware that the cultivation of barley is not an economic proposition, due to high wages, wet seasons, and bad markets; that the acreage under cultivation is decreasing yearly, that foreign grown barley is imported to the detriment of the home-grown article; whether it is intended to urge distillers, brewers, and maltsters to give preference to the home-grown article, or to put a tariff on the imported article, and thus put the industry on a paying basis.
WRITTEN ANSWERS. - ENCOURAGEMENT OF BARLEY-GROWING.
SEAN O DUINNIN
Mr. HOGAN
The price of barley, in common with that of other cereals, has not increased to the same extent as the cost of production of corn crops, and though the acreage under barley has decreased in recent years, there has been a larger proportionate decrease in the area under other cereals in the Free State. The area under barley is at present not less than that of the years preceding the war. A proportion of foreign grown barley is used by Irish brewers who, it should be understood, are competing, particularly as regards their export trade, with brewers who buy their barley on the open market.
Representations, as suggested, will be made to the brewers, distillers and maltsters. Recent prices for this year's crop are somewhat better than was anticipated, and it is hoped that such a further improvement in price will take place as will render unnecessary such action as is indicated in the concluding portion of the question.