asked the Minister for Lands and Agriculture if his attention has been drawn to the editorial in the Anglo-Celt of Saturday, December 6th, 1924, dealing with the use of fish meal for pork-raising purposes; if leaflets have been distributed by his Department showing the value of this meal as pig food; whether he has any evidence or reports to prove that the statements contained in this editorial to the effect that the use of fish meal for pork-raising is destroying the reputation of Irish pork are not correct; and, if so, whether he will immediately take steps to withdraw the leaflets in question; correct any false impression they may have given, and in conjunction with the other Ministers conncerned prohibit forthwith all imports of fish meal into the Saorstát in the future.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - FISH MEAL FOR PORK-RAISING PURPOSES.
My attention has been directed to the editorial in the Anglo-Celt of Saturday, September 6th, regarding the use of fish meal as a food for pigs. The Department have not issued a leaflet recommending the use of fish meal, but reference is made in one of their leaflets to the subject, and attention is especially drawn to the danger which may accrue from the indiscriminate use of fish meal. The Department are satisfied that the use in small quantities of fish meal conforming to the composition given in the leaflet referred to will not result in any deleterious effect on pork and pork products. The Department are also satisfied that when injurious effects follow the use of fish meal this is due to the use of an inferior quality, or to the use of large quantities of good quality fish meal. The Department's experience in this respect has been borne out by extensive experiments conducted in other countries. The Department realise that where skim or separated milk is available, no necessity exists for the use of a substitute such as fish meal. The Department have also proved by experiments that blood meal is capable of replacing separated milk for fattening pigs, and that it is free from the objections that may be urged against fish meal, and they have endeavoured to impress on bacon curers in this country the necessity for manufacturing this product, and making it available for pig feeders. In view of the fact that when fish meal of the proper quality is judiciously used it does not deleteriously affect the quality of the bacon, it is not the intention of the Department to recommend prohibition of the importation of this article. It would be impossible also for the reason that fish meal is a very useful food for poultry.