asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he is aware of the acute shortage of bacon and the disemployment of staffs in the bacon-curing factories, due to the inadequate supplies of pigs; and if he will state what steps he has taken, or proposes to take, to make adequate supplies of bacon available, and thus preserve employment in the bacon-curing factories.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Bacon Shortage.
I am aware of the inadequate supply of pigs, the consequent shortage of bacon and the disemployment in bacon factories.
Steps have been taken to ensure that as many pigs as possible will be available for bacon factories. The quantity of pork which may be sold by pork dealers has been reduced and both my Department and the Pigs and Bacon Commission are doing their utmost to stop the illicit curing of bacon. The commission have also recently increased the price of pigs with a view to encouraging pig production.
Could the Minister hold out any hope that the bacon factories will be able to get the quotas allotted to them so as to maintain in employment the relatively well-paid staffs in these factories?
I think the quotas for this month were fixed at a very conservative level.
Does not the Minister know that the factories are not able to get anything like their normal supply? They are only getting a fraction.
Some of them cannot get it.
Could the Minister hold out any hope that there will be a substantial improvement in that position in the near future?
I would not like to prophesy.
Am I to take it that, beyond the vague generalities in which the Minister has indulged in his reply, there is no indication that there will be any substantial improvement in the pig supply position in the near future? Unless the Minister takes some steps in this matter, pigs will be as scarce as elks after a while.
There has been a relatively substantial improvement in the last few weeks in the total number of pigs offered to the factories.
There is no substantial contribution to the problem.