asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state whether an application for a licence to start a cheese factory in the district of Ballymore-Mayglass, County Wexford, was received in his Department from the local parish guild of Muintir na Tíre; and, if so, if he will state whether or not a licence for the purpose will be granted.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cheese Factory Licence.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is aware of the efforts of the Ballymore-Mayglass guild of Muintir na Tíre to establish a cheese factory in their district; and, further, if he will state whether or not a licence will be granted by his Department.
Mr. Walsh
I propose, a Cheann Comhairle, with your permission, to take Questions Nos. 54 and 55 together.
I am aware of a request for a licence for the establishment of a cheese factory in the Ballymore-Mayglass area of County Wexford. The proposal was that a proprietary concern would operate the factory. On grounds of general policy I was not prepared to grant the licence and I so informed the applicants. I arranged, however, for a number of surveys of the area and other neighbouring areas in south County Wexford to be made by my Department and by the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society to ascertain whether the local farmers desired the provision of creamery facilities, and what milk supplies would be available or likely to be made available. All the reports furnished to me in this matter indicated that the farmers had no interest in the provision of creamery facilities in South Wexford and that milk supplies were very low in these areas. I even offered to arrange for the provision of a travelling creamery to test out the milk supplies but the local farmers did not accept the offer. I may say that this offer is still open if the farmers should themselves decide to avail themselves of a travelling creamery for next season.
Would the Minister not accept the fact that there would be material there for the purpose of setting up a cheese factory since the application is made by the local branch of Muintir na Tíre, who represent the local farmers, and should be in a position to know whether or not there is a sufficiency of milk to justify the establishment of a factory?
Mr. Walsh
Several recommendations and representations have been made to me by various organisations and by Deputies for the provision, first of all, of a travelling creamery and, secondly, of a cheese factory. I have refused on three occasions already to grant facilities for a cheese factory because I do not believe that it is good policy to allow proprietary interests to go around collecting milk from the farmers; and, secondly, we want to have all the milk available diverted into the creameries for the purpose of manufacturing butter.
Would the Minister say why he does not think it desirable that proprietary interests should collect milk and cream?
They had to be bought out some years ago.
Mr. Walsh
It is undesirable from the point of view of hygiene.