That is an interesting question and I am waiting to hear more about it. It is not the first time that such cases have come to light. I am amazed that, it having been mentioned publicly, we seem never to hear any more about it. I would like to get more information on that.
The cost to Irish pig producers to get those pigs out of the country is something like £3 per animal and the cost of every pig exported dead may be about £10. If we had only our own surpluses to export, then that cost would be reduced to something like £1 instead of £3. That would not bridge the gap between breaking even and losing, but at least it would be an improvement on the present situation. Those involved in the industry have an obligation to consider the present plight of the producers and voluntarily to make a decision to cease importing pigs while the market is in its present condition. It would serve nobody's purpose in the long run if we pursue policies within any sector which are to the detriment of another sector and will eventually create a disaster for the entire industry.
We have been debating jobs here. Consider the number of pigs produced and the size of the breeding herds. It has been stated that something like 1,000 farmers are involved in the industry and the number of labour units involved is something around 2,000 which is a considerable number of full-time very productive labour units. It is fair to say that we could expect that at least four other jobs would depend on every job in the various industries connected with the pig industry, in milling, processing, maintenance and other sectors, and the number might well be higher. We are talking about probably 6,000 or 7,000 jobs and about an industry which cannot survive for very long. Years ago we had the notorious pig cycles when prices dropped, profits became small and herds were reduced fairly rapidly.
Farmers in those years were less professional that they are today. We had a large number of part-time farmers to whom the production of pigs was of marginal importance and they got rid of their herd quickly in times of crisis. Those involved today are far more professional, as they must be if they are running an industry which competes with the best in the world, and is recognised as doing so. They have made their investment and must stick with it. Very few people involved in the industry today can opt to get out at short notice. They must either stay or go entirely bankrupt. Most of them have modern houses, equipment and facilities. Most of them have borrowed heavily and to break the line of production at this stage would mean probably absolute disaster for themselves and their families. Therefore, everybody is holding on even if everybody is losing money. If at some stage the industry breaks under the pressure, which must occur before very long, it is not the more inefficient people who will go to the wall. People will go depending on what stage they came in, on their interest rates and the repayments they have put behind them. A very large proportion of the people involved in that industry have heavy repayments and if the present situation goes on much longer they will not survive. As I pointed out in another parliament some weeks ago, if that happens we can be asssured that the people who will pay to rebuild a similar industry in Ireland will be the consumers. Regardless of how we look at it, the demand for pork products will be there and will be filled from abroad or from the home market. If we have a total disaster in the industry then eventually the consumer, through higher prices, will create an environment in which that industry can return and investment in it be encouraged again. The importation of pigs from Northern Ireland is part of the problem. We have also the importation of pork and bacon which probably is not nearly so detrimental, perhaps about 20 per cent of what comes in as live animals. This is borne out by the fact that in recent years the breeding herd in Northern Ireland has increased.
