§ MR. P. A. McHUGH (Sligo, N.)I beg to ask the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether he is aware that, in connection with the Butter and Margarine Bill now before this House, anxiety exists amongst Irish farmers who make salt firkin butter for home consumption and for export to Great Britain; can he say what are the intentions of the Government with reference to the fixing of a standard of moisture for Irish salt firkin butter, and is he aware that any reduction of the standard hitherto recognised would be ruinous to small farmers in many districts in the west of Ireland; and has the Department statistics showing the quantity of salt firkin butter exported from Ireland in recent years.
§ THE VICE-PRESIDENT of the DEPARTMENT of AGRICULTURE for IRELAND (Mr. T. W. Russell, Tyrone, S.)The Butter and Margarine Bill now before the House makes no alteration in the amount of moisture permissible in salt firkin butter. In the statistics of butter exports from Ireland furnished to the Department the quantities of "fresh and salt" butter exported are not separately stated.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMOND (Clare, E.)Has the hon. Gentleman satisfied himself that this Bill will not prejudicially affect in any way the Irish salt firkin butter trade?
§ MR. T. W. RUSSELLThe Bill now before the House makes no alteration in the present law.