asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will describe the meat marketing board which he intends to set up; and when he intends to set it up.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Meat Marketing Board.
71.
Proposals for legislation for the establishment of a board in connection with meat export marketing have been in course of preparation, and I shall bring them before the House as soon as possible. Full details of my proposals will then be available to Deputies.
Could the Minister give any idea of what "as soon as possible" means?
I think the Deputy is as familiar with this parliamentary phrase as I am.
So it could mean a year?
I think it has a very specific meaning. It means as soon as possible.
Does that mean weeks, months or years?
It does not necessarily mean any such thing. I am assuring the House and the Deputy that these proposals will be brought to the House as soon as it is possible for me to do it.
Is it not true that the Minister has been assuring farmers' organisations for two years that this meat marketing board will come into existence?
I want to point out to the Deputy, with regard to one particular farmers' organisation who are making a number of statements about this matter, that I only received their definitive proposals about a meat marketing board in June of this year.
Could the Minister say when they first approached him about a meat marketing board; could he give a date?
I am not sure that I could; I could not give that very precisely.
About two years?
No, no. This is the sort of general subject which would come up from time to time in discussions with farmers' organisations but what I have said to the Deputy is quite accurate, that the final proposals of the National Farmers' Association about the setting up of a meat marketing board were only received by me in June of this year.
Could the Minister say if these proposals will come before the House before the end of the year?
I could not promise that.