asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he will visit the Cooley district within the next two weeks and meet representatives of the local potato-growers there, and representatives of the County Council, and examine the situation for himself.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Written Answers. - The Cooley District.
Mr. Hogan
As I have arranged to receive at an early date a deputation from the Cooley district to discuss the situation, I do not propose to adopt the course suggested by the Deputy.
asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he is aware that there are several thousands of tons of potatoes in Cooley, Co. Louth, for which a market cannot be found, even at ten shillings per ton, and that as a consequence a large number of the farmers in the district who are debarred from selling their potatoes in the Free State cannot pay their rates and other debts; further, to ask the Minister whether he has definitely turned down all the schemes for dealing with the situation which have been suggested to him, and if he has not, whether he will state what scheme or schemes he has under consideration, and when he proposes to put them into operation.
Mr. Hogan
I am aware that there is a quantity of potatoes in the district in question for which a market at the price mentioned cannot be found. In other parts of the Saorstát where potatoes are grown for sale a similar situation obtains, and the position in Cooley would not, therefore, be relieved to any very appreciable extent were it practicable to allow Cooley potatoes to be moved for sale in other parts of the Saorstát. Some time ago I furnished particulars relative to potato drying installations to representative growers in the Cooley district but have not received from them any intimation as to whether, after consideration thereof, they desired to procure and operate such an installation. No satisfactory solution of the difficulty of disposing of surplus potatoes in other countries has been found, and it would seem that the only really practicable method is the one which the Department has repeatedly urged on the Cooley growers, namely, the feeding of potatoes to live-stock, and in particular to pigs. I would remind the Deputy that breeding sows were supplied on specially easy terms to residents in the Cooley district some years ago, and that if the potato growers concerned had bred and fed more pigs they would have had, and would now have, a very profitable outlet for a considerable quantity of their potato stocks.
asked the Minister for Agriculture whether it is a fact that the farmers in Cooley have been refused permission to grow an increased acreage of beet in the coming season; and, if so, whether he will take the necessary steps to have permission granted without delay, so that the farmers can make their arrangements for their spring work.
Mr. Hogan
I understand that the position is as indicated in the opening portion of the question.
In regard to the latter portion of the question, I am informed that the agreement between the Irish Sugar Manufacturing Company and the Irish Sugar Beet Growers' Association on the question of beet growing is related to a definite acreage, and that the allocation of that acreage is to be effected according to a procedure agreed upon between the Company and the Association. As I am not in a position to intervene in regard to that procedure, I am unable to take the action suggested by the Deputy.
As intimated, however, in reply to another question to-day by the Deputy, I am receiving, at an early date, a deputation from the Cooley district to discuss the whole situation.