asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the basic price for pigmeat in the EEC and the price at which intervention purchases are made at the present time; and what increases in these prices are proposed for the farm years 1971-72 and 1972-73.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Pigmeat Prices.
54.
The basic prices for pigmeat conforming to a prescribed standard quality in the EEC have been fixed at £317.47 and £326.99 per ton deadweight for the years commencing on 1st November, 1970 and 1st November, 1971 respectively. The basic price for the year commencing 1st November, 1972 has not yet been fixed, but a price of £338.24 per ton has been proposed by the EEC Commission.
The intervention price for standard quality pigmeat may not be more than 92 per cent or less than 85 per cent of the basic price.
55.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries what price he estimates Irish farmers would receive at present for pigmeat of the standard to which the EEC prices apply, if this country were at present in the EEC, making due allowance for transport costs, et cetera; and how it compares with prices currently being received by Irish farmers.
It is not possible to make a reliable estimate of this kind because there is considerable variation between market prices in the member States. The price the Irish farmer would receive would, therefore, depend on the country in which we had a market and on the price obtaining in that market, and also on the levels of feeding-stuffs prices. Normally it would be expected that the Irish farmer would receive prices not less than those currently obtainable here.
Is the Minister saying that he cannot even make an estimate of what prices would be paid to the Irish farmer for various products in the EEC because this would leave a large hole in the Government's White Paper?
In other words he was chancing his arm all along and you fellows have been swallowing it.
The question tabled by Deputy Creed is of a hypothetical nature.
We do not know whether we are going into the EEC or not.
It is hypothetical in the sense that we are not in the EEC but the question asks what price the Minister estimates Irish farmers would receive at present if we were in the EEC. The Minister must be prepared to make an estimate of what would be the effect of the EEC price structure on this country at this moment if we were in the EEC. If the Minister cannot do that he should give the job to somebody else.
I have told the Deputy that it is not possible to make a reliable estimate and I have told him why.
Are we going into the EEC on that basis, without knowing what the effects are, without bothering to find out?
The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.