asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries how the warble-fly eradication scheme will be handled during 1971.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Warble Fly Eradication Scheme.
145.
This matter is at present under consideration.
In his speech on the Estimate the Minister said something about going back to a voluntary scheme. I know he did not say this definitively. Is this the case? Is he really considering abandoning general autumn dressing as an eradication scheme?
No. We have got to get after the warble fly eradication scheme in one way or another. The Deputy is aware of the reason for the breakdown——
I am aware of what the Minister thinks the reasons are.
At any rate, the Deputy knows what happened. Let us not go into that now. We cannot tolerate the proliferation of the warble fly and we will have to evolve some agreed method by which that pest will be eradicated.
Would the Minister be prepared to consider the general autumn dressing followed up by spot checks in the spring on people who may not have applied it?
I will have to consult with my veterinary advisers about the best way to tackle the problem and, naturally, the farming organisations because, without the co-operation of the farmers generally, we will not make it work.
That is a commendable attitude.