asked the Minister for Lands and Agriculture if he is aware that a considerable quantity of malting barley is still in the hands of growers; that the growers are unable to find sale for this barley at any reasonable price; that many of these barley growers are in financial straits owing to their inability to find a market for their barley; if he will state whether his Department has taken any steps to find an alternative market for this barley outside of the Saorstát, and if authentic information has been sought for as to the possibility of finding such a market outside of the Saorstát; if he is prepared to recommend to the Executive Council the introduction of legislation which will deal with the matter of the restricted market for barley in Ireland, with a view to preventing unfair combinations of purchasers.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - MARKET FOR BARLEY.
Mr. HOGAN
(1) The Department are informed that, while in some of the barley-growing counties the normal amount of barley usually sold for malting has already been purchased, there are certain districts in which barley that might ordinarily be disposed of for malting remains unsold.
(2) Since the maltsters have ceased to buy, barley prices have fallen, and, as is usual, the price of feeding barley is on a lower level than that of barley of malting quality.
(3) Farmers who grow barley as a " cash crop " and who have failed to sell their barley either on account of its inferiority for malting or because maltsters have completed their immediate purchases, have difficulty in realising ready-money for their crop at anything above feeding barley prices.
(4) and (5) The Department have made enquiry into the possibility of selling barley outside the Saorstát, as the Deputy is aware, and have ascertained that the price which Irish malting barley of average quality would realise in Great Britain would not cover its cost to the merchant at the rates paid for such barley in Ireland this season, when due allowance is made for conditioning and bulking, and for freight charges. Merchants in the grain shipping trade are closely watching the markets in Great Britain and on the Continent, and are only too anxious to do business, but have been unable up to the present to sell Irish barley outside the Saorstát at a price which would cover their expenses, plus the price here in Ireland, of course. A considerable quantity of barley has been purchased by grain merchants, and is being stored in the prospect of an improved demand.
(6) With regard to the inquiry as to whether I am prepared to recommend to the Executive Council the introduction of legislation which will deal with the matter of the restricted market for barley in Ireland, with a view to preventing unfair combinations of purchasers, I assume that the Deputy means legislation for the fixing of minimum and maximum prices for barley. I am not prepared to make such a recommendation.
Is the Minister prepared to recommend to the House what appears to be the general demand of the people concerned — that is, the imposition of a tariff on imported malting barley?
Mr. HOGAN
Is it not really premature to ask that question?
Give an answer.
Mr. HOGAN
I am not. I do not think it has been demonstrated by anybody that it is the general demand. It has been agreed to by every Committee, including Committees of the Farmers' Union set up to consider the question, that such a tariff would not increase the price of Irish barley.
Will the Minister make it an issue in the by-election in East Offaly and abide by the result?
Mr. HOGAN
I will have the greatest pleasure in meeting the Deputy there.
Can the Minister state if the Farmers' Party came to any such decision?
Mr. HOGAN
He can understand that by implication, by reason of the fact that Committees of the Farmers' Union turned down the suggestion that there should be a tariff followed by a fixed price. It was agreed at first that a tariff would have no effect in itself. To meet that difficulty it was suggested that a tariff should be accompanied by a fixed price. The implications of the latter mean that a tariff by itself is no good and will not affect the price.
Does the Minister agree with the findings he referred to by a Committee of the Farmers' Union?
Mr. HOGAN
I do not know why the Deputy should ask that question. He ought to know himself better than I do.
Has the Minister made himself conversant with the prices in Great Britain for malting barley? Are they not much higher than in this country—five or six shillings per cwt. in some cases?
Mr. HOGAN
In some cases they are more than 5/-, 6/-, 7/-, or 8/-. That does not take us any further.
It should take the barley further.
Mr. HOGAN
As Deputies know, it appeared in this morning's papers that the County Cork Farmers' Union have received a letter from their agent on the other side saying that Irish barley cannot be sold at a price which would pay them after giving 19/- or 20/- for it on this side, and paying 3/- or 4/- on the other side for other costs. The Deputy knows as well as I do that the price of the article depends on the demand for it. If there is no demand for Irish barley, while it may analyse as well as English barley—if there is no demand for Irish barley for malting purposes for some reason which is inherent in the barley itself, then there will be no price for it. At present the price for Irish barley in the English market is about 23/-, while other barleys are quoted at 41/-.
Is the Minister aware that there is a considerable change in the policy of the Farmers' Union on this question?