asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will make the necessary funds available, as an urgent priority, so as to assist farmers in the purchase of lime, phosphate, potash, et cetera, which is of the greatest importance to the economy in view of the proximity of entry into EEC.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Fertiliser Purchase Assistance.
15.
I am satisfied that adequate funds for this purpose are already available. For example, in the current financial year provision has been made in the Estimates for expenditure of £7,650,000 on ground limestone transport, phosphatic and potash fertiliser subsidies. Also ground limestone and fertilisers can be obtained on credit at a low interest rate under the land project fertiliser credit scheme. In addition credit is available through the Agricultural Credit Corporation who also operate a special credit scheme for the purchase of fertilisers in collaboration with the commercial banks.
May I put it to the Minister that, in view of the fact that we are going into Europe, it would be appropriate to increase the amount of money available for all these purposes?
I do not accept that, for a number of reasons, one of which, of course, is that the fertiliser season is pretty well expired now. It is worth the Deputy's while to consider that in the recent British price review the subsidies on fertilisers in that country were reduced by 60 per cent. Ours have not been reduced at all.
In the light of what the Minister says, could he explain why there has been a reduction of £50,000 in the provision for phosphatic fertilisers this year?
I am not aware that there has been any such reduction.
Reading through the Book of Estimates one finds that while for fertilisers as a whole the same amount has been retained, there has been a reduction of £50,000 specifically in phosphatic fertilisers. Could the Minister explain this?
The Deputy, I think, is comparing the total expenditure on fertiliser subsidies last year with the estimates for the coming year. He will, of course, recall that there was a Supplementary Estimate introduced for the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries last year. I should like to say that there is no intention now of any reduction in the rate of subsidy in the coming year.
Is it intended to have a Supplementary Estimate this year, too?
May I put it to the Minister that this is not a matter of scoring cheap political points on one side of the House or the other? It is a very serious matter. May I ask him to have another look at the whole position?