asked the Minister for Agriculture what are the terms of the agreement under which this country is to sell 10,000 tons of refined sugar to the United States of America in this year.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Sugar Sales to US.
19.
It is the declared intention of the United States Congress that Ireland should be granted an allocation of 5,000 tons of sugar for the second half of this year and 10,000 tons in each of the years 1963 and 1964 under a Bill which the Congress passed very recently. This would be implemented by a regulation which has now to be made by the US Secretary for Agriculture. No question of making an agreement between the two Governments therefore arises.
Could the Minister state if there is anything in the agreement whereby we have to buy 50,000 metric tons of yellow meal?
The best thing I can do is to read the answer again.
Yes. I think it would be a good idea if the Minister did.
I thought my voice was sufficiently loud to carry.
It carries, but not always this far.
The answer is:
It is the declared intention of the United States Congress that Ireland should be granted an allocation of 5,000 tons of sugar for the second half of this year and 10,000 tons in each of the year 1963 and 1964 under a Bill which the Congress passed very recently. This would be implemented by a regulation which has now to be made by the US Secretary for Agriculture. No question of making an agreement between the two Governments therefore arises.
Was it not very odd the Minister knowing nothing about it when questioned by the Leader of the Opposition last week?
It was not very odd when I told the House there was no question of an agreement.
Was it not very odd the Minister did not know anything about the 10,000 tons?
It was not very odd because I knew throughly that the Deputy to whom Deputy Sweetman refers was misinformed, as he always is, actually.
The Minister knew nothing about it at all and he should have known what was happening. He knew nothing at all.
The records of the House are there and what I said on the occasion is there also.
It shows the Minister knew nothing.
I call on Deputy Sweetman to quote me on that occasion from the records of this House.
Quotations are improper at Question Time and will be used on the Adjournment Debate.
Deputy Sweetman, apparently, is capable of one thing only, that is, of ignorant bluff.
There is one thing, Sir. That, coming from the Minister for Agriculture, I consider a compliment.
That is the usual reply to a true statement and a true description.
On a point of order, are these remarks the result of the Taoiseach telling his Ministers how to behave courteously in future?
I do not understand.
It is never necessary in my case.
Perhaps the Minister would not understand the meaning of the word.