asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state the numbers of hen eggs in shell imported from the Six Counties in each of the following months:—July, August, September, October and November of this year; how many applications for the importation of the foregoing he received; how many licences he granted; and whether it is illegal to import eggs from the Six Counties without licence.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Egg Imports from Six Counties.
35.
The answer to the first part of the Question is "none". The second and third parts of the Question do not therefore arise. The answer to the fourth part of the Question is in the affirmative.
Then it is illegal to import eggs from the Six-Counties without a licence?
Yes.
Would the Minister tell me have we any reciprocal arrangement with Great Britain and Northern Ireland as far as eggs are concerned?
The reciprocal arrangement we have does not cover all matters of interest to us here.
Have we a reciprocal arrangement as regards eggs?
I have said the reciprocal arrangement does not cover all matters in which we are interested here.
I am asking the Minister about eggs.
I have said, in effect, that we have a reciprocal arrangement in regard to other matters but that that reciprocal arrangement does not cover all the matters we are interested in here.
If the Minister, his Department, or the State, has a reciprocal arrangement why is it illegal to import eggs?
There are a number of other matters, veterinary and otherwise, that have to be considered.