§ MR. FLYNNI leg to ask the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether he can now state what practical steps are being taken by the Department towards the establishment of a system of winter dairying in Ireland; is he aware that the exports of dairy produce, poultry, and eggs from Ireland in 1906 amounted to £9,300,000. as compared with £8,927,000 value of the exports of cattle; and whether, in view of the increased employment of labour involved in a sound system of all-year-round dairying, the Department will place itself in communication with the county committees of agriculture, with a view to the early adoption of that system.
§ THE VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR IRELAND (Mr. T. W. RUSSELL,) Tyrone, S.The Department have repeatedly advocated the extension of winter dairying in Ireland, but although the desirability of such extension is freely admitted, farmers are slow to move in such a matter. In 1906 the Department, to acquire accurate data of returns from winter dairying in Ireland, started an experiment at the agricultural station at Clonakilty, county Cork, and this experiment is still being continued. In the autumn of 1907 a more extended series of experiments under the control of the Department was inaugurated in connection with the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society, the Cork County Committee of Agriculture, and the Centenary Co-operative Creamery, Ballyduff, county Tipperary. The Department do not propose to take any further action until the results of these experiments are available. An extension of tillage is necessary before the winter dairying can be increased, and the Department, through the county committees and otherwise, are doing all that is practicable to check the decline of tillage, and to induce the farmers to increase the area under the plough. The estimated value of the exports of dairy produce, poultry, eggs, and bacon, etc., from Ireland in 1906 is £9,799,069, and of cattle, £9,146,915. My hon. friend will be glad to learn that the income derivable from these subsidiary industries is steadily rising each year.
§ MR. FLYNNThe Government having boldly set these schemes on foot, may we take it they will not grow faint-hearted in the desire to promote them?
§ MR. T. W. RUSSELLThe Department is as anxious as the hon. Member himself to promote winter dairying. We are quite aware of the loss it is to Ireland.