asked the President if the deputation from the homegrown grain conference (appointed by the County Committees of Agriculture) which waited upon him on October 5th, 1925, placed before him certain proposals and recommendations which would tend to improve the present deplorable position of the tillage farmers of the country; whether he was requested to make representations to Messrs. Guinness and Son regarding the unfair price paid for Irish malting barley; if he will state what steps he has taken to comply with the wishes and recommendations of the deputation and whether, in view of the very low prices now being paid for farm produce, he will undertake to introduce legislation regulating prices and profits and relieving the producer and consumer from the control of combines.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - HOME-GROWN GRAIN.
I am not at liberty to disclose what transpired at the interview with the deputation to which the Deputy refers. The proceedings were understood to be private. If I made a promise I carried it out. The latter part of the question should be addressed to the Minister for Lands and Agriculture.
Would the President say if it has not been reported in the Press that he was requested to make representations to Messrs. Guinness in regard to the middle portion of the question? Did he do so, and what was the effect?
I have nothing further to add to what I have already said. I do not remember having read what the Deputy stated was in the Press, and if I did it would not have affected me, as what appears in the Press does not always affect me.
Is the President overlooking the fact that the Governor-General stated in his address in the Dáil that prices, profits and wages would have to come down, and is the President only prepared to deal with that portion of the address in regard to wages and not to deal with that regarding profiteering?
I have no information that would justify the statement that we had not interfered with profiteering and did not endeavour to do so. We asked for advice and assistance in furtherance of that desirable object from the Deputy and others, but so far that advice and assistance have not been given to assist us in coming to the conclusion that we should take any other measures than those we have taken.