asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he is aware that farmers in County Kildare are unable this year to obtain contracts for sufficient areas of malting barley; and, if so, what steps he proposes to take in reference thereto.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Malting Barley Contracts.
The making of contracts for the growing of malting barley is solely a matter for the growers and the industrial users or their agents.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary agree that in County Kildare the maltsters have cut down contracts for growing malting barley this year by 80 per cent.?
I have not got the percentage, but the information I have is that Messrs. Guinness have arranged with the representatives of the Irish Sugar Beet Growers' Association Ltd. to contract for the growing of 510,000 barrels of malting barley in 1953.
Could the Minister not indicate by the figures of the previous year what is the percentage reduction? Is it not 80 per cent.?
That is a separate question.
The real answer is that he does not know and does not care. That is what he told me last year.
I have not got the information here or I would have given it to the Deputy.