I move that the Bill be now read a Second Time. This Bill comes to the Dáil from the Seanad which passed it last week. It is a Bill to amend the original Acts of 1940 and 1943 and, together with these Acts, it is designed to constitute the efficient framework of our system of mutual insurance amongst cattle and live-stock exporters to indemnify themselves against the ordinary hazards of the export trade, which are those of injury and disease which become manifest subsequent to the slaughter of a beast exported and which were not discernible to the eye of the dealer or exporter when he put it on board. The Bill is necessary, in part, to cure certain infirmities of the original two Acts and, in part, due to circumstances that arose consequent on the Trading Agreement of 1948.
Prior to 1948, during the war emergency, the rule relating to Irish cattle shipped to Birkenhead for immediate slaughter was that when such cattle came off the boat they passed under the survey of representatives of the British Ministry of Food and, if no defect was then discerned in them, any defects that subsequently became discernible in the carcase when slaughtered was the liability of the Ministry of Food. Subsequent to 1948, however, it was agreed between us that the final judgment on the quality of a carcase would not be taken until the beast had been slaughtered and the carcase examined by veterinarians attached to the slaughterhouse in Birkenhead. Against this new liability undertaken by the shipper, however, a concession was secured because, prior to the 1948 agreement, the Ministry of Food treated the kidneys of a beast as offal and no allowance was made for them. Subsequent to the agreement and at the present time the kidneys and the appurtenant fat are weighed with the carcase and the consignor is paid for them at the value of the meat itself. This concession is hard to evaluate precisely, but is somewhere between 4/- and 6/- per beast, and I think might safely be regarded as an average of 5/- per beast, although there are those who maintain that it is worth 6/-. I judge, I think correctly, that this additional benefit fairly countervails any additional liability that has arisen out of that arrangement.
It is gratifying to know that, under this new arrangement which now operates, our experience has been satisfactory. Prior to the agreement, our cattle were graded A, B and Manufacturing. Subsequent to this agreement, our cattle were graded Special, A, B and Manufacturing. Bearing this in mind, I think the House will be satisfied that the conditions under which the cattle are handled are reasonably satisfactory when I have to tell them that, out of a total export of fat cattle to the value of £4,513,265 between June and December, 1949, the total liability for all forms of loss through disease, bruising or otherwise amounted to 62 of 1 per cent. In addition to that, I think the House may be interested to know that, under the new grading arrangements, where we have Special, A, B and Manufacturing, in the same six months to which I have just referred of the steers and heifers (fat) going to Great Britain for immediate slaughter 99.1 were put in the grades Special and A; .8 of 1 per cent. were graded B; and .1 of 1 per cent. were graded Manufacturing. The price for grade A cattle prior to the agreement was 1/1½, falling to 1/- per lb., according to season. The price of Special quality to-day is 1/8¾; of A quality, 1/8¼, falling to 1/5¾ or 1/5¼, respectively, according to season. The number of fat cattle shipped in the calendar year 1947 was 110,000; in 1948, 66,000; in 1949, 134,000. The rate of levy made under this old code of insurance, beginning with the Act of 1940, was 2 per cent. at the beginning, but this rate was rapidly reduced until it reached one-half of 1 per cent. on 19th October, 1942, and it has remained at that level ever since.
In addition to the matter I have mentioned, I would direct the attention of the House to Section 6, which enables travelling expenses to be paid to authorised officers of the Insurance Board, where they are directed by the executive to undertake travel in Ireland or Great Britain on the business of the board. Section 7 confers upon the board the power to prescribe a different rate of levy for different classes of cattle. We understand from the live-stock exporters representative body that that is a facility the trade desires to have.
Section 8 is designed to remove an anomaly which had not been foreseen; that is that sometimes in a claim relating to several items the award in respect of nine out of ten items will be mutually agreed but in respect of the tenth item the claimant will ask to have the award reviewed. Owing to a statutory anomaly it was impossible for the board to review the tenth part of the claim if they did not review the whole claim. It is proposed under this section to give them power to review any part of the claim in respect of which the claimant asks for a review.
I do not think there is anything else of substance which I should mention at this stage. I am, of course, at the disposal of the House to answer any inquiries any Deputy may care to make. I mention this matter and, in respect of it, I desire to emphasise that I am entirely in the hands of the House. This Bill has taken some time to draft in order to meet every situation that might require to be met and, at the same time, not go further in the matter of legislation than it was necessary to go. As a result thereof a number of cattle-dealers have claims outstanding which cannot be disposed of unless and until this Bill is enacted. So far as the larger men in the trade are concerned that does not cause them any serious inconvenience because their bankers are always ready and willing to accommodate them. But there is a material number of small shippers who depend for their livelihood on being able to go to the fair with ready cash, buy their requirements there, ship them and turn their money over repeatedly throughout the year.
I do not say that any of them will be unable to transact their business for want of the money due to them under claims, because I do not think that is true. But I am informed that some of the smaller men are embarrassed for the want of money to which they believe themselves to be entitled under claims they desire to make in the event of the Oireachtas approving of this Bill. Therefore, if the House thinks well to expedite the passage of this Bill, I have no doubt it would be a kindly thing to do in consideration of the present circumstances of these small men. On the other hand, if the House is of the opinion that the matter requires further and more careful consideration, or amendment, doubtless they will not suffer any irretrievable loss by having to wait until after Easter. That is a matter upon which the House is as competent to judge as I am and it is a matter the House will have to determine for itself.
