asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he is aware that Ireland could have exported 500 tons of beef to West Germany in 1969 but the West German Government delayed drastically in the matter; and if he will take steps to ensure that his Department will not allow such a situation to recur.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Beef Exports.
20.
The failure to implement the transaction referred to was not attributable to any trade or official quarters on the Irish side, both of whom were most anxious to have the beef exported. The Federal German authorities have already been made fully aware of our views on the matter and they have recently suggested a further meeting in late April or early May to make arrangements for a new transaction.
More talk but no beef.
I do not know what the Deputy is talking about because he has neither beef nor talk.
Is this the first occasion on which a German Government has ratted on an agreement with this country?
It is not, no.
It is not, no! Then do something about it. It is the Minister's job to do something about it.
Let the Deputy not excite himself. Let him take his own advice. Let the Deputy not excite himself or talk about it; it will not do him any good.
And it will not do any good to talk to the Germans about it either. Do something about it.
Would the Minister not agree we did, in fact, lose on a substantial deal for beef to Germany last year simply because the Germans thought they could get it cheaper from Ireland and the meat trade representative got no support whatsoever from the Government and, indeed, has never got support in trying to sell beef to Europe? The Government have done nothing to sell to Europe.
Let the Deputy not excite himself either. It is not good for him.
I know what I am talking about.
Would Deputy Collins please cease interrupting?
Does the Deputy want an answer or does he just want his misinformation on the record, the misinformation he seems to be labouring under for such a long period?
I would like the Minister to state what he has done to help beef exports to Europe.
The Minister is not in the bull ring now. Give us the answer.
The Deputy is either himself entirely misinformed or he is attempting to misinform the public as to what happened in this beef transaction so far as the Germans are concerned. He makes the wild charge that we lost a good market because of some inaction on the part of the Government or on the part of the Department. That is utterly without foundation and, if the Deputy knew anything about the business in which he participates, then he must know that that is utterly untrue. Otherwise he does not know his business.
It has happened.
Question No. 21 postponed.