asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries whether the withdrawal of headage payments on live cattle exports will have a depressant effect on the home market and tend to force producer prices down even further below intervention price.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cattle Headage Payments.
2.
The bulk of our live cattle exports are to the United Kingdom and eligible cattle exported to that country will continue to benefit from the variable premium payable there. Since the end of February no FEOGA premium has applied to such cattle exported to other member States but these exports are relatively small, accounting for only about 5 per cent of the total on which the premium was paid up to the end of 1975. I should also point out that the termination of the FEOGA premium has been more than offset by the strengthening of the beef market, the recent change in the representative rate of the Irish £ and the further transitional step under the Accession Treaty.
The Minister mentioned the further devaluation of the Irish £ but with sterling as it is that is totally eroded.
There is a further question on that. The next question deals with that.
What is the prospect for the export of cattle as against slaughtering cattle here? What will the trend be in the months ahead? Will the factories here be able to compete with the export of cattle?
I hope they will.