asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries whether all beef offered in the next few weeks for sale to intervention can be accepted.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Intervention Beef.
20.
I am advised that intervention storage facilities will be adequate during the next few weeks for all beef offered for which freezing-down facilities are available either at the meat factories themselves or at public cold stores.
Is the Minister aware that our stores are full at present? I saw this morning in one of the stores beef that was bought for intervention on Tuesday. It had just been frozen and was being moved out to the Continent or somewhere else to make room for fresh beef coming in.
Of course, Deputy, everybody knows that our stores are full and have been full for some time. We have been using stores on the Continent for some time, in the Netherlands, in Belgium and in France.
Why is it that 900,000 tons of frozen beef is being imported into the EEC area and at the moment when our own beef is going into intervention?
That is a separate question.
We do know that last year 900,000 tons was imported but we do not know what is being imported at the moment.
Question No. 21.
(Interruptions.)
The Chair has called Question No. 21. I have allowed the Deputy a number of supplementaries.
I have been allowed only one.
That is not so.
A good long one.
It is terribly important for our cattle trade to know where our beef is going to go this year.
The Deputy will have to find another opportunity to ventilate his grievance on the matter.
Where is our beef going to go when——
Next Question, No. 21, please.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 22 together.
Deputy Crinion, please.
In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I wish to raise the matter on the Adjournment.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.