§ 31. Mr. SCANLANasked the Vice President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) when the Order for opening Irish ports for the exportation of store cattle will become operative; and whether Sligo is amongst the ports to which this Order will apply?
§ Mr. T. W. RUSSELL (Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture, Ireland)The Order of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries allowing of store cattle being landed on prescribed conditions at certain specified ports in Great Britain from certain specified Irish ports, one of which is Sligo, will take effect on Wednesday, 22nd instant. Having regard to the customary routes of vessels sailing from Sligo, the British port to which store stock shipments 572 from Sligo might take place appears to be Greenock.
§ Mr. MOONEYWill the Order for the opening of the port of Newry apply to fat or store cattle, or both?
§ Mr. RUSSELLThe port of Newry will be opened for fat cattle only.
§ Mr. MOONEYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that a ship chartered at Newry may go to any port with fat cattle, and is not the effect of the Order to create a monopoly for the London and North-Western Railway Company?
§ Mr. RUSSELLNo Scottish ports are open to fat cattle.
§ Mr. MOONEYBut they could go to English ports?
§ Mr. RUSSELLThe English ports comply with the Order.
§ Mr. KILBRIDECan the right hon. Gentleman explain why it is that store cattle can be shipped from Dundalk to English ports, and not from Newry?
§ Mr. RUSSELLBecause there are vessels running from Dundalk to these ports, and not from Newry.
§ Mr. KILBRIDEHas the London and North-Western Railway Company anything to do with it?
§ Mr. RUSSELLNo, Sir.
§ 33. Mr. FIELDasked the right hon. Gentleman whether he has any further information to give respecting the opening of Irish ports for the export of Irish live stock and the movement of stock in Ireland; and whether he can definitely state when Dublin market and port will be open provided no further outbreak occurs?
§ Mr. RUSSELLThe new Order regulating the export of cattle will come into effect on Wednesday next. The stock shipped under that Order must come from the north of the revised boundary line, which will run from Drogheda viâ Navan and Banagher to the mouth of the Shannon, and which places some eighteen counties in the area from which shipments can take place. It is hoped that circumstances will permit of a further extension of the northern area within a few days. The Department have from to-day reduced the circle of prohibition around Ticknock (county Dublin), which will enable the Dublin market to be opened on Thursday 573 next. I hope to make an announcement as to the port before that date. The disease, I am glad to say, shows continued signs of abatement. There has not been any fresh case in county Cork for sixteen days, and the area under restriction in that and other counties has been greatly reduced by an Order issued on the 18th instant. The disease within the county Tipperary and the adjacent portions of other counties still remains inactive, but the conditions are such as to require the closest attention.
§ Mr. FIELDAm I to understand from the right hon. Gentleman's answer that Dublin port will be opened on Thursday next?
§ Mr. RUSSELLNo, Sir. I said that Dublin market would be opened on Thursday. The hon. Gentleman must not take out of my answer anything I did not say. We are considering the port of Dublin and will give the earliest possible notice of our decision in regard to it.
§ Mr. DELANYWill shipments fee allowed from Queen's County and King's County, where there has been no disease for thirty years?
§ Mr. RUSSELLThe opening of Dublin port will open a natural outlet for cattle from King's County and Queen's County.
§ 34. Mr. NOLANasked the right hon. Gentleman if he can now definitely state, for the convenience of all parties concerned, on what date the port of Drogheda will be open for the shipment of fat stock as well as store cattle?
§ Mr. RUSSELLThe Order of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries permitting fat stock from Drogheda to land for slaughter at Birkenhead will come into force on Wednesday next, 22nd instant. The port will not, however, be open for shipments of store stock. The Drogheda steamers do not ply to any British port where store stock may be landed. It is also to be understood that any fat stock shipped at Drogheda must come from north of the boundary line (at present running from Drogheda to Oranmore, county Gal-way).
§ Mr. NOLANIf provision is made for placing store cattle in ships at Drogheda, will that be allowed?
§ Mr. RUSSELLI understand the hon. Gentleman to ask whether, if a vessel is put on from Drogheda for any of the ports opened for store cattle, that will be 574 allowed? It will be considered, I have no doubt.