asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the total amount of beef subsidy paid out at the latest available date; the number of cattle covered by the subsidy; the names of firms in receipt of moneys under the scheme; and the amount paid to each.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Beef Subsidy.
26.
From 1st February, 1965, when support payments on beef exports to Britain commenced, up to 10th March, 1967, a total of £1,473,211 was paid to licensed meat exporters in respect of a total quantity of eligible carcase beef equivalent to approximately 172,000 cattle. With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to circulate with the Official Report a list of the exporters to whom support payments were made. It would not be in accordance with practice to disclose the business of individual exporters by giving the amounts paid to each.
Why would it not? Is there anything to hide? Why can we not get the full facts in this House of what firms have got those grants? Could the Minister further say what proportion of this went back into the farmers' pockets or did it go into the pockets of the people concerned?
That is a separate question.
I said it was not in accordance with practice. It was not I who established the practice, and it is there a very long time.
Can the Minister tell us what percentage went back into the farmers' pockets?
That is a separate question.
Next term.
Following is the list of exporters to whom support payments were made: — Anglo Irish Meat Ltd., Dundalk; Roscrea Meat Products Ltd., Roscrea; Collins Bros., Waterford; P. Kavanagh, c/o Dublin Corporation Abattoir; A.J. Bowmeester, c/o Dublin Corporation Abattoir; Clover Meats Ltd., Waterford; B. Donovan, c/o Dublin Corporation Abattoir; Clonmel Foods Ltd., Clonmel; International Meat Co. Ltd., Dublin; Kildare Chilling Co. Ltd., Kildare; Irish Meat Packers Ltd., Leixlip; Premier Meat Packers Ltd., Sallins; P. Heron & Sons, c/o Dublin Corporation Abattoir; Dublin Meat Packers Ltd., Cloghran; H. Denny & Sons, Ltd., Waterford and Tralee; Lynch Bros., Ballinasloe; L. Goodman, c/o Dublin Corporation Abattoir; G. Dodrill, c/o Dublin Corporation Abattoir; Carrigans Meats Ltd., Carrigans; Castlebar Bacon Co. Ltd., Castlebar; M.J. Lyons & Co. Ltd., Longford; Red Meats Ltd., c/o Dublin Corporation Abattoir; Limerick Food Processors, Castletroy; Meat Exporters (Sligo) Ltd., Sligo; G. Trainor, Dundalk; D. Farrelly, c/o Dublin Corporation Abattoir; Cork Farmers' Union, Ballincollig; Shannon Meats Ltd., Rathkeale; W.P. English, Cobh; McCarren & Co. Ltd., Cavan; F. Quinn, c/o Dublin Corporation Abattoir; N. Cuddy, c/o Dublin Corporation Abattoir; Lunham Bros., Cork; J. Staunton, c/o Dublin Corporation Abattoir.