asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he is aware that farmers in the Carrigaholt peninsula have on hands over 200 tons of seed potatoes for which they can find no market this year and if he will indicate what steps, if any, he proposes taking to provide a market for them.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Market for Seed Potatoes.
I am aware that there is a quantity of seed potatoes in the Carrigaholt area for which a market has not yet been found. I expect that it will be possible to have these potatoes shipped to the British Ministry of Food at an early date.
May I ask the Minister if the price we obtain from the British Ministry of Food will compare favourably with the prices that have been obtained for these seed potatoes in the past?
These are seed potatoes and they will be sold to the British Ministry of Food at the prices ruling. The difficulty is that, owing to the very abundant crop in Great Britain last year, farmers in England have been slow to draw their supplies of seed potatoes this season, but we have every reason to believe that, with the passage of each week, the flow of seed potatoes out to the grower in England will increase in volume.
Is the Minister aware that hundreds of tons of potatoes are going rotten in Tipperary mostly as a result of his advice to farmers——
This is a question relating to Carrigaholt and not to County Tipperary.
May I not ask the Minister a supplementary question?
The Deputy must first put down his own question.
May I say that the Deputy has done quite enough damage bawling off platforms in Tipperary without trying to do further damage here?
I did not do as much damage as your antecedents did when they stabbed Parnell in the back.
When the Chair has refused a Deputy permission to put a question, it should not be answered.
May I respectfully submit that the practice is not unknown of bawling disorderly questions in the hope that the Chair will maintain order, as it always does, and prevent these disorderly and ignorant questions from being dealt with by those to whom they are addressed?