asked the Minister for Agriculture if he has received a copy of a resolution passed unanimously by the South Tipperary County Council on June 30th, 1931, calling on the Government to take action at once to subsidise the price of milk to the extent of one penny per gallon for milk 3.0 standard from March to October, and twopence per gallon for the period from November to February, for at least five years, and suggesting that such scheme be financed by an issue of a National Loan, and if the Minister will state if and when he will put this loan into operation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Proposed Milk Subsidy.
The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. In regard to the concluding portion, I have given careful consideration to the proposal, and do not see my way to adopt it, as I am satisfied that on several grounds the scheme is not a practicable one, including the difficulties which would arise in attempting to make it applicable to butter-makers other than creamery suppliers, and the fact that the subsidy would be greatest when least needed, and lowest when most required. Any funds available for the assistance of the dairying industry could, in my opinion, be utilised to much greater advantage in other ways.