asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the estimated deficiency payment on beef for the week ended 15th July, 1967.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Beef Deficiency Payments.
4.
The rate of payment under the Beef Export Guarantee Scheme, to which I presume the Deputy is referring, is estimated at about 9d per lb. deadweight for last week.
From the Minister's reply, would I be right in calculating that for each 10-cwt. beast, the meat factory would be getting a subsidy of approximately £25?
From ready reckoning I would say that that is not far from the figure.
Would I be right in saying that the Minister's powers of ready reckoning would tell him immediately that approximately 60 per cent of all beef bullocks would be actual beef?
Sometimes; it is usually around 7 to 11 cwt. or that proportion.
That is £25 which is not going back to the farmer.
We could have a long argument on all that too.
Could I ask the Minister whether he is any nearer to this?
I am so near that I am on top of it, but some of these things are not in my jurisdiction.
A previous Minister for Agriculture advised farmers to hold on to their cattle last year and we all know what happened.
If the Deputy wants to be helpful, he will not ask me to answer that.