asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he is satisfied with the price being paid at present to Irish farmers by the Irish meat factories, in view of the fact that some of the beef is going into intervention.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cattle Industry.
37.
The price paid is based on the normal market considerations and is only partly affected by the present beef intervention arrangements which apply to certain classes of good quality steers and heifers. The average market price of good quality cattle remains above the intervention level.
38.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if, in view of the fact that beef heifers in France are making £30 and £35 per hundredweight, he will take steps to ensure that the prices paid to Irish farmers are on a comparable basis.
39.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if, in view of a difference of almost £5 per hundredweight between the price paid in France for fat bulls and the price paid in Ireland taking into account the different levies which are imposed at present, he will take action to ensure that Irish producers get a higher price.
With your permission a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 39 together.
The price which Irish producers receive for their cattle is governed by the normal market considerations, including the export trade to a number of countries. Exports to France can be freely made at the best prices obtainable for the type of cattle in demand there.
The group of farmers who were in France discovered for themselves at marts and in factories that much higher prices were being paid and that, taking into account the normal allowances, there was a discrepancy of £5. Can the Minister explain that, or would there be a market there for our produce?
I suppose it is hard to explain. You get these anomalies occasionally. The Deputy can take it that the people who are selling Irish beef and cattle know which is the best market to sell them in, and they are free to sell them any place in the EEC.
40.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the amount of beef which has been sold to intervention by the meat factories since entry to EEC.
The total quantity purchased up to the end of last week was approximately 60 tons but a further quantity of approximately 500 tons has been accepted for purchase this week. That does not mean it will actually go in but it has been accepted.
The Minister may have seen in the papers that there is a danger that there might not be storage space for beef bought for intervention and I should like to know if that is true.
There is no problem at present. A problem might arise if a lot of beef went into intervention, and arrangements are being made for storage elsewhere.
Would the Minister know the total amount of beef we could have in intervention at the one time?
Which we could have here? I am afraid I do not know the answer to that question. I can get it for the Deputy if he wants it.
41.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he is aware that the Irish reference price for beef has fallen to £15.50 per hundredweight which is lower than the £16 per hundredweight which he guaranteed to Irish farmers earlier this year; and the action he is taking to bring the price up to his guarantee.
42.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he is aware that in some marts cattle prices are as low as £15 per cwt for some cattle which is lower than the guarantee of £16 per cwt which he gave earlier this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 41 and 42 together. In my statement on 2nd August I said that the EEC intervention prices would provide support in the region of £16 per live cwt for good quality cattle. The price of good quality cattle has not fallen below the region of £16 per live cwt.
Is the Minister aware that some good quality cattle have been sold in the past fortnight at under £16?
All I can say is that I know somebody who sold cattle yesterday for £17.10 a cwt. I may be able to put the Deputy in touch with the buyer.
Is the Minister saying he is not aware that cattle were sold under £16?
Of course, I am aware of that but I am talking about good quality cattle and that is what the EEC are providing this type of support price for.
43.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries when a decision is expected from the EEC on the request to make an exception for exports of beef from Ireland to the United States.
I again pressed this matter at last week's meeting of the EEC Council of Ministers and aspects of it were referred for further consideration by the beef management committee. In the meantime, the EEC Commission has made certain reductions in the monetary compensatory charges on our beef exports, the reduction being approximately £22 per ton on the frozen boneless beef cuts normally exported to the United States. No comment?
Is the Minister inviting comment?
Question No. 44.
When the Minister gets something for this House there is no comment.
Question No. 44.
Would the Minister say——
I have called Question No. 44.
That is a pity. The Minister will hear a great deal about it on the Estimate next Wednesday.