asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if the conclusion of the Kennedy round of talks by GATT countries will mean a reduction of the tariffs operating against Irish beef and cattle in Europe; and, if so, when and to what extent.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Tariff Reductions.
6.
The final outcome of the Kennedy round negotiations in the GATT is unlikely to involve any such reductions.
Does the Minister not feel that the whole tenor of the GATT negotiations was a reduction in tariffs and that, if we are to find there is to be no reduction now, our cattle trade will be in a parlous position for the rest of the year, particularly at what is commonly known as the back end?
The negotiations were, as Deputy Donegan says, generally to do with tariff reductions, but in reply to the question I have here in so far as cattle and beef are concerned, there are no real hopes there that anything will be done that will be of any use to us.
Could the Minister say when it is hoped there will be a change in this situation and if, as happened before when the Common Market authorities made their regulations for a certain period which ended on April 1st last, the tariffs now operating on our cattle and beef will operate for any set period?
I have no knowledge as to the period for which they may operate, nor do I think anybody else knows for what period they may operate or at what level. However, the fact that the countries concerned will operate them to their advantage and as and when they feel like it is obvious from the regulations which have been made.
Does the Minister not agree this probably means that there will be between 200,000 and 300,000 cattle that we cannot export that will be available for export this year?
I do not agree with that in those words or terms, but I do agree —and I said this before—that the likelihood is that our prospects in the EEC market in the latter half of the year will be no better than they were last year.
Has the Minister no advice to offer the farmers?
I have already been advising the farmers and I am glad to say they have taken my advice to a considerable degree. That is why more of our cattle have gone out this year to date than went out last year, and so far as that has taken place, it will minimise the impact of any back end slump.
Does the Minister agree that there are cattle not fit to go out?
Of course there are cattle that will not be fit to go out, but the object is to get those out that are fit.