§ MR. MEEHAN (Queen's County, Leix)To ask the Chief Secretary to 874 the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he will give a Return of the number, amount of salary, travelling and other allowances, former occupation of the inspectors and judges appointed under the cattle-breeding schemes of the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction, Ireland; how many of such inspectors and judges are themselves or immediate friends concerned in breeding the class of animals scheduled under the cattle-breeding scheme of the Department; and whether he proposes to take any action to reduce the temptation to persons so interested to condemn animals as frequently as possible, so as to create a demand for the stock which they are personally interested in raising.
(Answered by Mr. Bryce.) Inspection in connection with the Department's cattle-breeding schemes is carried out mainly by three permanent agricultural inspectors employed by the Department, none of whom are engaged in cattle breeding. The salaries of these gentlemen are borne on the Votes, and they receive the usual travelling and subsistence allowances. In Spring one additional inspector is temporarily employed when the work of the schemes is pressing. He is paid at the rate of two guineas per day for each day actually engaged on the work of inspection, together with a maintenance allowance of 15s. for a period of twenty-four hours absence from home on the business of the Department, as well as first-class railway expenses. This inspector is a breeder of pure-bred shorthorn cattle, but he is employed by the Department only for districts remote from where he lives. The Department do not believe there can be any temptation to act in the manner suggested in the Question, seeing that the demand for premium bulls has hitherto far exceeded the supply.