Vol. 226 No. 7
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will make a statement on his recent talks with the European Economic Community authorities concerning agricultural matters; and, in particular, if he will state what are the prospects for cattle and other agricultural exports to the EEC area from this country as a result of these negotiations.
16.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will make a statement on his visit to Brussels; if the export of Irish cattle was mentioned in the discussions; if so, to what extent; and what progress he made.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 16 together.
I had a very useful exchange of views with the Vice-President of the EEC Commission in charge of agricultural affairs and with other representatives of the Commission about a wide range of agricultural matters, including in particular the position and prospects regarding Irish exports of cattle and beef to the Community and also questions likely to arise in relation to this country's application for membership of the EEC.
Further meetings are envisaged with the Commission, at Ministerial and official level, from time to time at which developments in connection with the Community's agricultural policy and Irish exports of agricultural products to the Member States would be considered. In meetings with the EEC and also in the Kennedy Round of negotiations which are at present in progress in the GATT, every effort is made to secure the maximum possible improvements for our exports of cattle, beef and other agricultural products but it would be rather optimistic to assume that any really satisfactory and lasting arrangements for this country's agricultural exports to the Continent can be established until Ireland becomes a member of the EEC.
Has the Minister anything to say on the statement made in Belfast by the chairman of a meat factory concern in which he took a very gloomy view of the future for beef producers?
I think the next question relates specifically to that subject.
May I take it that there were no direct results or benefits from the Minister's discussions with the Vice-President of EEC?
I would not say that.
What about the 2,000 cattle we were supposed to export last year?
We will not be allowed to export them.
Question No. 17.
I can understand the Ceann Comhairle's anxiety to get through questions but the Minister wants to answer my supplementary question.
I would say that there were no direct results.
The Minister did say further meetings were envisaged. Will these be on Ministerial or Civil Service level?
Possibly both.
And when?
This depends on certain other developments that are afoot at the moment.
Does the Minister see any prospects for the export of cattle to EEC countries in the near future?
Prospects in what conditions?—with levy or without?
Without the levy.
Was the Minister's idea in meeting the Vice-President of EEC to find out what our position would be as full members of the Community or did he go there to see what the immediate prospects of exporting our cattle were?
Both.
And the Minister got nowhere?
I got a lot of information.
Will the Minister say it?
I certainly will, but I do not think it is appropriate to do so on this question.
Propaganda.
No better man at that than the Deputy.
We shall send the Minister down to build Valentia Bridge.
I shall be down there.
May I remind Deputies that threequarters of an hour have elapsed and we have completed only 16 questions.
But we have exposed the utter barrenness of Fianna Fáil government and that is the purpose of the question.
