I want to refer to the subject matter of Questions Nos. 15 to 20 on today's Order Paper which deal with the export of horse meat from this country. I should like to say that, as I understand it, early this year, there was a campaign, which achieved considerable publicity, to demonstrate that our arrangements for the export of live horses to the Continent were cruel and inhuman. This country and those who engage in that business were held up to a good deal of public odium. The Government acted very properly at the time. They instituted a thorough investigation into the charges and the general methods of carrying horses and later reported that every precaution was taken to ensure that the animals did not suffer any ill-treatment or cruelty.
That report was supported by two British organisations interested in the welfare of animals: the Blue Cross Society and the Dumb Friends League. Subsequently, it was pretty well demonstrated that the hysteria responsible for the campaign was largely based on false information, or that it was deliberately intended to mislead the public as to the actual and true position. It could appear from the Government's recent announcement that the strictures and criticisms of people on the other side of the Channel and, to a certain extent in this country, had some justification if the Government are now to reverse their findings and their views of last January and February and to restrict, totally or almost totally, the export of live horses to the Continent and elsewhere. That is one aspect of the matter.
Secondly, there is the aspect of the existing factories which have been set up, at some considerable expense, to process, to a limited extent, at economic prices the available supplies of horses. The Minister is aware that there has been considerable difficulty in finding markets for the various parts of the carcases in England and on the Continent because the various rules and regulations which are sometimes altered very rapidly do not make the search for markets very easy. However, the fact is that the Department held up for a considerable time —I think I am correct in saying for almost a year—the export of forequarters to England where there was an existing market.
There are two factories, one of which was established with the assistance of funds raised by a voluntary committee and the other by a group of businessmen with their own capital. I think I am correct in saying they have been processing something between 80 and 100 horses per week. To my knowledge, neither of these factories was consulted in regard to-this new development, nor were any interests representing the farming community, who are vitally interested in this new development, consulted.
The Minister was cautious enough this afternoon at Question Time not to hazard an opinion as to the effect, or possible effect, on the price of horses, if these regulations come into effect, drastically curtailing the export of horses. I do not think it needs a great deal of imagination to suggest that if you prohibit to a large degree the export of anything—any item, whether it is live horses, live cattle or anything else—the market at home is bound to be depressed.
Again, I think it is a safe assumption that the farmers will not, in future, receive as much for their horses for export as they have received up to now. One of the difficulties of the factories operating in this country has been to procure horses at an economic figure. That figure is something like half the price which the farmers have been getting for what one might call well-fleshed animals suitable for export to the Continent for slaughter. It may be that this new concern will find a market which has not up to now been available to the existing factories but, if so, it has been kept a very carefully guarded secret.
However, there is a third point with which I am more vitally concerned. One of the factories established to enter into this trade was established near the city of Limerick. At the time, there was a good deal of publicity associated with the granting of the licence, and estimates of the possible employment were made which proved, in the event, to be substantially inaccurate and far too optimistic. Quite an amount of employment has been given directly to the butchers and packers and indirectly to the processing companies through the Limerick factory. As Limerick has not been favoured with the establishment of industries to any degree in recent years—I think two small factories have been established in three years—anything that would threaten the extinction of an existing industry is a matter of serious concern to the people of Limerick.
By and large, I think the Minister, before taking unto himself these powers to regulate and restrict the export of horses, should at least have given the existing factories an opportunity of consultation with regard to the various factors involved. I think also that the farming community have some right to be consulted with regard to the possible effect of these proposals. It is quite possible that my fears in this regard are groundless, but, based on the available supply of horses are the general needs and the capacity of the existing factories. As I say, I may be quite wrong, but it seems to me that the two existing small factories will be placed in jeopardy by this new and apparently very substantial undertaking.
