asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries whether he will make arrangements to have lambs in Kerry inspected this year for the subsidy under the mountain lamb subsidy scheme by the 15th August at the latest so that mountain sheep farmers in Kerry can sell their lambs in the 18th August fair in Kenmare and other fairs in late August and early September when the demand and prices are likely to be highest.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Mountain Lamb Scheme.
18.
Inspections under the Mountain Lamb Subsidy Scheme have been arranged to suit as far as possible the farmers wishing to sell their lambs at local fairs. As lambs must be dipped to qualify under the scheme and the dipping period does not end until 7th August, the inspections required at about 100 centres in the county could not all be completed by the 15th August. Last year's inspections finished on the 9th September. Any suggestions the Deputy may wish to make for the holding of inspections in particular areas this year will be sympathetically considered.
19.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the total amount paid to sheep farmers in Kerry under the Mountain Lamb Subsidy Scheme in 1967 and in 1968.
20.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the total amount paid to sheep farmers under the Mountain Lamb Subsidy Scheme during 1968 in each of the Counties of Cork, Donegal, Galway, Kerry and Mayo.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 19 and 20 together.
Under the Mountain Lamb Subsidy Scheme, the amounts paid to farmers for 1968 in the counties referred to were as follows:
|
£ |
|
|
Co. Cork |
20,323 |
|
Co. Donegal |
72,535 |
|
Co. Galway |
24,942 |
|
Co. Kerry |
62,017 |
|
Co. Mayo |
50,639 |
The amount paid in County Kerry for 1967 was £28,455.
Would the Minister agree that despite the incentives being given the sheep population has dropped by almost one million and is still dropping? Would he agree that greater incentives would have to be given or a change made in some regard?
It is the "some regard" that will be very interesting.
What does the Minister intend to do about it? The sheep population is dropping.
The Deputy will hear in due course.
I hope it will be more successful than it is with the present incentives.
It could not be more successful than the mountain sheep scheme we have.
Still, the sheep population is down by one million.
There are other factors and it is not in the mountain sheep numbers that the big decline has taken place.
The all-over result is that the sheep population is down by one million.
Order, order, Question No. 21.
21.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will arrange for an increase in the subsidy for sheep of the Scotch breed in the mountain areas.
22.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will arrange a subsidy for sheep of the Border, Leicester, Suffolk and other lowland breeds to encourage farmers to go in extensively for their production and so utilise Irish grasslands for export material for which there is a ready market.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 22 together.
The question of aids towards improved sheep production has been considered in the recent talks which I have had with farming organisations and I hope to make an announcement shortly in the matter.