asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he is aware that a new type of beet harvesting machine has been designed and built by Mr. Andrew Heffernan of Cahir, County Tipperary, which would greatly improve efficiency in harvesting beet; and that Mr. Heffernan recently refused a substantial offer from a Dutch agricultural machinery firm on the grounds that he would like to have his machine developed and manufactured in Ireland; what encouragement, financial or otherwise, has been given by his Department towards the development and production of this machine; and what will be done in this regard by his Department in the future.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Beet Harvesting Machine.
41.
No approach has been made to me about this machine. In any event, I have no funds at my disposal for the purpose mentioned.
I suppose it is also true to state that the Minister has no funds at his disposal.
For this particular purpose.
I am sure the Minister must be aware that the machine in question is an advance on any similar type of machine used for beet harvesting. Is it not strange this was not brought to the notice of his Department? Is it not a reflection on his Department that an important innovation of this kind should be unknown to the Minister?
I have the utmost respect for the Deputy's judgment but this is a technical matter and every day of the week I have crackpot people coming to me with new machines which are going to revolutionise Irish agriculture.
May I assure the Minister there is no crackpot involved in this? The Dutch, the English and others have applauded the innovation and the Irish beet farmers are most anxious to avail of it in order to accelerate the harvesting of beet.
I can only assure the Deputy that, as far as I am concerned, no approach was made to me about it. It would not be my function to engage in the development of a machine of this sort and I understand that the organisation concerned, Comhlucht Siúicre Éireann, does not regard this particular machine as in any way advantageous from its point of view.