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Dáil Éireann - Volume 142 - 21 October, 1953

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Import of Feeding Stuffs.

[196] Dr. Esmonde asked the Minister for Agriculture if, in view of the large stocks of barley harvested in excess of the quota as accepted by maltsters, and the increased stocks of feeding barley harvested this year and to allay the anxieties of farmers, who wish to dispose of amounts in excess of their requirements, he will make a definite statement as to whether it is intended to delimit or prohibit the importation of comparable feeding stuffs such as maize.

Minister for Agriculture (Mr. Walsh): If barley surplus to growers' own requirements cannot be disposed of in the normal course of trade, distribution of maize will be restricted to such extent as may be necessary to provide an outlet for all surplus barley.

Dr. Esmonde: Could the Minister state if it is a fact or not that one of the largest consignments of maize ever to come into this country was recently imported into Waterford, in the month of September?

Mr. Walsh: It has no bearing whatsoever on this question.

Dr. Esmonde: The Minister has not really answered my question. My question asked whether the Minister was going to limit the import of maize until the farmers were able to dispose of their barley.

Mr. Walsh: I have answered that question already. I have said that if there is any surplus of barley the import of maize will be restricted.

Dr. Esmonde: Yes, but in fact I am suggesting to the Minister in the question that there is an excess of barley in the County Wexford and I am anxious to know from the Minister if he is going to limit the importation of maize until that barley is disposed of.

Mr. Walsh: I have answered the question already.

Dr. Esmonde: No.

Mr. Walsh: I have answered it in the affirmative already.

[197] Dr. Esmonde: I beg your pardon, Sir. The Minister has replied that if there is an excess of barley he will limit the importation. I am telling the Minister that there is an excess of barley in County Wexford.

Mr. Walsh: There is no excess of barley in the country.

Captain Cowan: Is it actually barley or barley meal?

Dr. Esmonde: Excuse me, there is an excess of barley in County Wexford. If the Minister does not believe that, let him come down to Wexford and I will prove to him that there is an excess of barley there. I want to know from the Minister if the farmers of County Wexford will be given an opportunity of disposing of their barley before imports are let in and I have not had an answer.

Mr. Walsh: The answer is that there is a market for barley at the moment all over the country, not merely in Wexford.

Mr. D.J. O'Sullivan: Has the Minister seen the statements in the Press that the firms will not accept any more barley?

Mr. MacEntee: Are there two members of Fine Gael reneging on Deputy Dillon now?

Dr. Esmonde: The farmers in Wexford are unable to dispose of their barley and I am suggesting to the Minister that until such time as they can dispose of that barley he has no right, as Minister for Agriculture, to import foreign grain.

Mr. Walsh: I am telling the Deputy that there is not a surplus of barley in the country. Actually there is not sufficient supply for five months. If any farmer at present is unable to dispose of his barley I would like to have his name, first of all, and secondly, if there is at the moment a difficulty in disposing of barley it is because people who are engaged in the corn trade are taking in wheat. There is not going to be any surplus barley in a month's time.

[198] Mr. Sweetman: Is the Minister referring to feeding barley?

Dr. Esmonde: I am afraid the Minister is misinformed. The position in Wexford is that farmers with an excess at present are unable to sell it; they are unable to get a marketable price for it. That is the position at the moment. There may be a demand for barley in other counties. Would the Minister arrange for that barley to be bought off the farmers of County Wexford forthwith; otherwise they will not grow barley next year, and I do not blame them?

Mr. Allen: Rot.

Mr. Dillon: Deputy Allen is reneging now.

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