§ 70. Mr. LUNDONasked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland), if he is aware that in view of the proposed after-the-war policy of the Government as regards the question of food products, etc., various committees 670 have been appointed by the Board of Agriculture and other Government Departments in this country; and will he state if the Irish Department of Agriculture have set up, or propose to set up, any similar committees in Ireland to see that, when the proper time comes to deal with this all-important question, Ireland's economic interests will not be neglected?
§ The VICE-PRESIDENT of the DEPARTMENT Of AGRICULTURE, IRELAND (Mr. T. W. Russell)There is in each Irish county a Statutory Committee of Agriculture whose duty it is to develop and foster agricultural production. A large number of instructors and overseers are employed by these bodies. Each county in Ireland strikes a rate which, with Department's funds, finance a great variety of schemes. The Irish Department are fully alive to the importance of increased production, and there has in the past year been a considerable increase, both as regards crops and livestock. It is fully expected that the figures for 1915–16 will show a further improvement on the previous years.