§ MR. HALPIN (Clare, W.)I beg to ask the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether the Department has any statistics as to the average return of milk from the dairy cows in Ireland; whether the Department is aware that cattle properly bred for milking qualities give from 50 to 100 per cent, more milk than those generally in use; and whether the Department will assist poor small farmers to buy good yearling heifers so as to rear them for milking purposes.
§ *THE VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR IRELAND (Mr. T. W. Russell,) Tyrone, S.The Answer to the first part of the Question is in the negative. The Department have no such statistics, nor is it easy to see how they could be obtained, but experts place the yield at about 400 gallons. Apart from the figures, the Answer to the second part of the Question is in the affirmative. In regard to the concluding query the Department cannot undertake to purchase yearlings, and to supply them to small farmers.