asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state with reference to "Eire Fresh Meat Exporters' Committee" (a) whether any organisations representing live-stock producers' interests were consulted by him when he decided to set up this committee; (b) whether such organisations were consulted in the selection of the personnel of this committee; (c) why he did not see fit to have represented on this committee the most vital interest concerned, namely, the producers' interests; (d) whether before setting up this committee he caused to have examined the possibility of putting into operation proposals to set up a producers' selling agency such as that which was in operation in Denmark for the purpose of marketing and selling by agents directly representing agricultural interests all meat produced by them.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Meat Exporters' Committee.
The committee referred to was selected by the firms engaged in the fresh meat export trade and deals with matters which concern the transit side of that trade, such as regulating days of slaughter, methods of dressing and packing meat, days of shipment and allocation of traffic to specified routes and destinations. It was not considered necessary, therefore, to consult any other interests or to set up the selling agency referred to in the Deputy's question.
Was not this committee set up by the Minister?
Yes, if you like, I called it together.
Would the Minister not agree that it would be only right and proper that the producers' interests should be represented?
There is no reason whatever for having any producers on it.
In other words, the Minister will permit these people to do what they like with the trade—rob, if necessary?
No.
What objection has the Minister to the producers' interests being represented?
I have no objection. What reason is there, apart from making this rather flowery speech appealing to the farmers of Ireland, to bring the producers into a discussion as to what particular route they will send meat by, or what time the ship should sail? It is a traffic committee, and has nothing to do with the producers.
A traffic committee only?
That is all they are dealing with at present—traffic matters.
They will not decide the sailing time, anyway.
They will negotiate with the shipping companies in connection with it.
Can the Minister assure the House that they will not deal with any aspect of the export trade except the traffic aspect? I should like a categorical reply to that. If the Minister gives me an assurance that that is the position, then I would not press for representation for the producers.
Up to this moment they have had nothing else to do. I do not know what may be added later on. They have nothing to do with prices.
That is the reason why I put down the question—to get an undertaking that matters pertaining to the producers' interests will not be discussed by them, or, if they are discussed, that the producers will have the right to representation.
The producers will be consulted if anything which concerns them comes up.