asked the Minister for Lands and Agriculture if he will state when a case of black scab on potatoes was last discovered in Cooley, County Louth; if he will take steps to grant licences to the farmers in that district to sell potatoes for food consumption in Ireland, and so provide them with an alternative to the English market, and, if so, when?
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - COOLEY (LOUTH) POTATOES.
The most recent cases of black scab in the Cooley district were observed in August, 1927, on the occasion of the annual inspection of growing crops of potatoes. The discase was found on farms in the townlands of Maddoxland and Castlecarragh, on potato plants of susceptible kinds, occurring as "rogues," or impurities, in crops immune to the disease. It is not intended to grant licences to farmers in the infected districts to market their potatoes in non-infected areas in the Saorstát. To grant such licences would involve an unwarrantable risk of spreading the disease.
Will the Minister give the names of the people on whose lands black scab was found?
Mr. HOGAN
I have not got them, but if the Deputy puts down a question I will get them.
Is the Minister sure that it was black scab?
Mr. HOGAN
I am absolutely certain about it.