asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is prepared to remove the control from the price of barley this season and fix the price of that promised by him in the Dáil, viz., 55/-per barrel or more, for this season.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Barley Prices and Compulsory Tillage.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if it is the intention of the Government to make any compulsory tillage Orders for the year 1949; further, if he will make, for the guidance of farmers, a statement outlining the Government's wishes in regard to the acreage of crops which ought to be produced.
With your permission, a Chinn Chomhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 and 25 together.
The answer to Question No. 14 is no.
I am, however, availing myself of this occasion to state clearly the Government's policy in regard to barley and alternative crops.
Firstly, the Government is concerned to ensure the maximum production of wealth from the land by co-operation with, rather than by compulsion of, the farmers who live and get their living on the land.
In the present unsettled state of international affairs, it is however necessary to be prepared for every contingency, and preparations have been made. In the event of the Cominform succeeding in disrupting international peace, every citizen of the State will be required to hold himself at the disposal of the community to help in minimising the hardships of war conditions, and the farmers will be required to carry out their assigned duties together with every other section of the community. In the event of such emergency not arising, then the Government's aim will be to ensure that a profitable market will be available to the farmers for whatever crops and produce the farmers themselves elect to produce on their own holdings, and the employment of compulsory powers vis-à-vis farmers is deemed to be no more necessary outside emergency conditions than is the employment of such compulsion vis-à-vis doctors, lawyers, plumbers, plasterers or accountants.
Or British exports.
What about the price of barley?
Is the Minister aware that in this House on the 14th of this month he stated that the last Government made the brewers pay our farmers from 15/- to 20/- per barrel less than the brewers were prepared to pay them? We have the barley this year——
Is this a supplementary question?
It is the reply.
I want to know if the Minister is going to prevent the farmers from getting from 10/- to 15/- a barrel more than he arranged as the fixed price? Is he going to rob the farmers of £1,000,000?
My answer to the Deputy is—you may bet your boots I am not.
In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the Minister's reply it is my intention to raise this matter on the adjournment.
On a point of order, the Deputy has given notice that he is going to raise cheese on the adjournment, and cheese he is going to raise. He is not going to wriggle out on barley. I submit that he is going to raise cheese. I thought the week-end would cool him. He is not now going to get out of cheese and turn over to barley.
The Deputy has given notice that he is going to raise barley and I have to take that.
With respect, the Deputy gave notice of his intention to raise a question relating to cheese. He was asked by the Chair to postpone that until this week so that the programme agreed between the Government and the Opposition might be kept pace with. I consented. The Deputy has gone home for the week-end. He has had the face eaten off him in County Cork and now he wants to get out of raising cheese. But I will not let him.
The Minister, as usual, is running away from cheese, a thing he has no right to do. I will get barley out before he will do it. He can take a running jump at himself now.
On a point of order, yesterday the Parliamentary Secretary to the Taoiseach asked that certain questions now on the Order Paper addressed to the Minister for Agriculture should be postponed. If the Minister for Agriculture had been here yesterday, I take it Deputy Corry would have raised the matter.
Deputy Corry informed the Chair yesterday that he intended to raise barley last night. He was informed the Minister would not be here. The Minister is here to-day.
I will make a submission to you in due course. If Deputy Corry wants an extra half-hour, he can have cheese first and barley afterwards.
The Chair has given a ruling that Deputy Corry may raise the question of barley on the adjournment to-night.
Is he going to get out of cheese?
He is entitled to change his mind.
Just the same as the Minister.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state the price to be paid for the crop of barley from the coming harvest.
The maximum price for barley of the coming harvest will be 50/- per barrel in lieu of the price of 45/- per barrel announced on the 10th October last. Furthermore, this price will be payable ex-farm and the deductions hitherto made to meet collection charges will cease.