asked the Minister for the Gaeltacht if he will state in what respect the pig scheme for the Gaeltacht announced by him provides facilities not already available through the Pigs and Bacon Commission scheme for the supply of sows on long term credit to breeders in any part of Ireland.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Gaeltacht Pig Scheme.
Is iad seo leanas na buntáistí breise a bhéas ar fáil:—
(1) Faoi scéim na muc ní gá don iarratasóir aon airgead a chur síos sul a bhfaghaidh sé an chráin. Faoi scéim an Choimisiún um Mucá agus Bágún bíonn air £15 d'íoc nuair a glactar lena iarratas.
(2) Faoi scéim na muc beidh ar an iarratasóir tráthchuid tosaigh de £10 d'íoc i ndeireadh na céadbhliana, ach faoi scéim an Choimisiúin um Muca agus Bágún bíonn air £15 d'íoc an tráth sin.
(3) Faoi scéim na muc beidh ar an iarratasóir i ndeireadh na dara bliana, an bhliain dheiridh, an dara tráthchuid de £10 d'íoc, is é sin £20 ar fad agus ansin is leis féin an chráin. Faoi scéim an Choimisiúin um Muca agus Bágún, bíonn ar an iarratasóir tráthchuid deiridh de £8 d'íoc, is é sin £38 ar fad agus ansin is leis féin an chráin.
(4) Faoi scéim an Choimisiúin um Muca agus Bágún bíonn ar iarratasóir urra d'fháil le slánú a thabhairt go ndéanfaidh sé na haisíocaíochtaí acb faoi scéim na muc ní gá a leithéid.
(5) Faoi scéim na muc déanfaidh an coiste talmhaíochta contae áirithe, tar éis dóibh dul i gcomhairle lem Roinn-se faoi cheist na Gaeilge, iarratasóirí a roghnú. Faoin scéim eile, is é an Coimisiún um Muca agus Bágún a dhéanann an roghnú.
(6) Faoi scéim na muc, beidh gach duine a fheobhas cráin i dteideal na síolta agus na hábhair leasuithe d'fháil, is gá le haghaidh acra fataí agus acra eornan, ar leath-phraghas. Níl an buntáiste seo ar fáil faoin scéim eile.
Is it not true that, apart from the fact that under this scéim na muc, there is an obligation on the individual to set a half-acre of potatoes and a half-acre of barley, in substance there is no change in the existing situation in which any citizen of the State can get one, two or more sows, in pig, from the Pigs and Bacon Commission with two years to pay for them, and no scéim na muc at all? They could get them anyway?
It is quite obvious that the Deputy did not understand the reply I gave.
God knows you would not blame me for that.
I propose to give it now in English.
The additional facilities made available under the scheme introduced by my Department are as follows:—
(1) Under scéim na muc the applicant has no down payment to make before he gets the sow. Under the Pigs and Bacon Commission scheme the applicant must pay £15 on acceptance of his application.
(2) Under scéim na muc the applicant has to pay a first instalment of £10 at the end of the first year while under the Pigs and Bacon Commission scheme the applicant has to pay £15 at that time.
(3) At the end of the second and final year under scéim na muc the applicant has to pay a second instalment of £10, making a total contribution of £20 when the sow becomes his property. Under the Pigs and Bacon Commission scheme the applicant has to pay a final instalment of £8, making a total contribution of £38 when the sow becomes his own property.
(4) Under Pigs and Bacon Commission scheme the applicant must get a surety to guarantee his repayments while under scéim na muc no sureties are necessary.
(5) Under scéim na muc the county committee of agriculture concerned— in consultation with my Department as regards the Irish language—selects the applicant. Under the Pigs and Bacon Commission scheme the selection is made by the Pigs and Bacon Commission.
(6) Under scéim na muc all recipients of sows will be entitled to receive the seeds and manures necessary for one acre of potatoes and one acre of barley at half cost price. Such facilities are not provided under the Pigs and Bacon Commission scheme.
Even Deputy Dillon should now understand the difference between the two schemes.
Does the Minister know that under the existing scheme in the Department of Agriculture anyone living in the congested areas—never mind the Gaeltacht areas—is entitled to get seed potatoes and seed grain at reduced prices? Does the Minister realise that unless it is proposed to provide a State subsidy of a fixed sum —which he does not appear to have done—the only result of supplying a person with a £20 sow instead of a £35 sow is that the man who gets the £20 sow will get a bad sow, whereas the man who gets the £35 sow will get a good sow? Is it not desirable that they should get the best sows possible in those areas?
The Deputy's assertion that anybody in the Gaeltacht can get grants for the growing of potatoes or barley is not true——
Of course, they can.
The only power in the Department of Agriculture to give such grants is in respect of isolated demonstration plots——
Nonsense.
——a couple through the parish, to show how the job is done.
Nonsense.
The Deputy must now realise that this is the first time an effort has been made to encourage the people to keep sows and to produce on their own land food, not alone for the sow, but also for the litter that will be there.
Sara glachadh leis an scéim seo, an raibh aon dul-i-gcomhairle le muintir Chonnamara nó muintir na Gaeltachta chun a fháil amach an raibh siad sásta leis?
Sin ceist eile.
Tá sean-eolas agam ar gach Gaeltacht san tír agus ar Ghaeltacht Thír Chonaill, freisin.
Is it the intention of the Minister to reply in Irish and in English——
When these pigs are scratching themselves on the rocks of Connemara, I shall reply to the Deputy.
It is not necessary to be a smart Alec to be a good Minister.