asked the Minister for Agriculture whether his attention has been directed to the existence of an unsaleable surplus of barley in the country, and whether in view of the fact that the meal admixture scheme has failed to prevent this surplus or to improve the price available for oats he will consider winding up the meal admixture scheme and thereby make Indian meal available to egg and pig products producers at £4 10s. 0d. per ton instead of £7, which is the ruling price for the maize meal mixture.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral—Answers. - Unsaleable Barley Surplus.
Dr. Ryan
As regards the first part of his question, I would refer the Deputy to my reply to Deputy Davin's question of last Thursday.
I do not agree with the view expressed by the Deputy that the maize meal mixing scheme has failed to achieve its objects and I do not, therefore, propose to discontinue the scheme.
Arising out of the Minister's reply, I want to ask is he aware of the fact that the maize meal admixture scheme involves producers of pigs in this country in an additional expenditure of £1 per pig more than their competitors in Northern Ireland and Great Britain have to pay for the production of their pigs?
Dr. Ryan
What sort of pig is the Deputy talking about?
Is the Minister aware of the fact that this is an additional expenditure of £1 per pig on the farmers of the Saorstát?
Dr. Ryan
I am not aware of it and nobody who feeds pigs is aware of that.
I am not surprised to hear the Minister is not aware of it.