asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state whether he is aware that the chairman of the Pigs Marketing Board and of the Bacon Marketing Board at a meeting in Cork on Monday, 17th February, belittled the value of fairs to the pig producer and declared that both the country's trade and the interests of the producer and of the curer would be best served by the selling of pigs as factory purchased pigs; and whether in view of the benefits that the fair system brings to pig producers and country towns and villages, he will take steps to prevent the development of a policy likely to result in the abandonment of fairs.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Value of Fairs to Pig Producers.
Dr. Ryan
As I have already intimated in reply to a question asked by Deputy Keating on the 5th instant, I am not prepared to discuss operations of either the Pigs Marketing Board or the Bacon Marketing Board by way of question and answer in this House.
Did the Minister not state when introducing the Pigs and Bacon Bill that competition would exist between the curers and the shippers? If the chairman of the Pigs Marketing Board persists in his policy of destroying fairs how can competition between curers and shippers be carried on?
Dr. Ryan
I do not know what relation that has to the question on the Paper.