asked the Taoiseach if he will state the quantities of mince meats exported to England during recent months, giving the estimated quantities of (a) fats; (b) currants, and (c) raisins in the total export; further, if he will say what currency was used for the purchase of these raisins and currants, and the total amount involved.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Mince Meat Exports.
Mr. Brady
The estimated quantity of mince meats exported to Great Britain in the six months July-December, 1950, was 237,800 cwt., and includes the following estimated amounts: (a) fats, 9,500 cwt.; (b) currants, 66,000 cwt. and (c) raisins, 70,000 cwt.
No information is available as to whether the currants and raisins so exported were drawn from recent imports or from older stock, but, during the whole year 1950, the total imports of currants, 137,101 cwt., value £624,062, consisted of 136,878 cwt. from Greece and 223 cwt. from Turkey, and the total imports of raisins, 269,538 cwt., value £1,348,924, during the same period consisted of 197,279 cwt. from Greece, 64,038 cwt. from Turkey, 3,989 cwt. from Spain and 4,232 cwt. from the Union of South Africa. All these imports were paid for in Irish currency or sterling to the accounts of the countries concerned.