asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will indicate the terms and conditions of the agreement or arrangement whereby Comhlucht Siúicre Éireann Teoranta was authorised by him to act as his agent for the sale of powder superphosphate and granulated superphosphate fertilisers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Superphosphate Agreement.
Comhlucht Siúicre Éireann Teoranta were appointed as agents for the importation and sale of superphosphates by my predecessor in office and continue to act in that capacity.
No formal agreement or arrangement was entered into beyond that normally subsisting between principal and agent, but the company were given an indemnity against loss.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary say what was the amount of the indemnity?
Unlimited—given by Deputy Dillon.
And what was the loss?
Enormous.
I have not got the figure of the indemnity.
Is it true that on the fertilisers imported by my authority when I was Minister for Agriculture there was a profit of close on £250,000, every penny of which was lost, with an addition of £100,000 on the fertilisers imported by my successor?
Should there have been any profit?
Deputy Dillon squeezed a quarter of a million out of the farmers.
Because the price went up, my successor raised the price to the farmers. I sold at £9 5s.
A Deputy
Does the Minister stand over that?
It was your Minister did it — and made a quarter of a million.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that at the present time the Minister has made an Order whereby the Irish Sugar Company can supply artificial manures only in six ton lots? Is he aware that in the West of Ireland that is of no use, as the ordinary farmer there does not want six tons?
Put down a separate question.
Would the Minister look into it?
Arising out of the former point, is the Parliamentary Secretary able to give any figures? Is there a big percentage of the fertiliser that was imported in 1950-51 still in stores in Cork without being used?
The Deputy should put down a question.
We had to sell cargoes of maize, too, that Deputy Dillon ordered, at a loss.