§ 31. Mr. SCANLANasked the Chief Secretary whether, in view of the most recent reports from various parts of the country of the shortage in the yield of the potato crop, of the hardship and suffering of the poorer classes in the towns, and of the fears entertained of an ensuing famine in Ireland, the Government now propose to take efficient steps to prevent all further exportation of potatoes from Ireland; whether the Government are taking step's to ensure an efficient supply of seed potatoes for next year's setting; and if he will state specifically what steps the Irish Government are taking in these matters?
§ Mr. DUKEThe matter is being dealt with by the Irish Office and the Department of Agriculture in correspondence with the Board of Trade.
§ 32. Mr. SCANLANasked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been directed to the declaration publicly made by the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) at a recent meeting in Dublin, to the effect that the Executive in Ireland had decided to pre vent any further shipments of potatoes from Ireland except under licence; whether, since the date of the said declaration, the Executive have allowed 819 shipments of potatoes from Ireland to take place freely without permits or licence of any kind, and whether exportation of potatoes is now going on extensively from all parts of Ireland; and whether the Government have now decided, in regard to the question of potatoes and the food supply of the Irish people, to reverse the policy announced by the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture?
§ Mr. DUKEThe hon. Member appears to be misinformed. No declaration of the nature referred to was made by the Vice-President. The resolution was adopted at the meeting of the Council of Agriculture on the 14th ultimo, urging the advisability of obtaining power to prohibit temporarily the export of potatoes from Ireland, save under licence. I have since been in communication with the Board of Trade on the matter. Since the date of the meeting of the Council of Agriculture shipments of potatoes have taken place from certain districts where potatoes are usually grown for exportation, but the exports of potatoes during October and November of this year have been considerably less than in the corresponding period of the previous year.
§ 36. Mr. LYNCHasked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether he has received information as to the potato crop this season in West Clare; and whether he can indicate any measures that may be necessary to prevent hardship to the poor people who depend greatly on potatoes for food?
§ Mr. DUKEReports received by the Department show that the potato crop this year in West Clare is about 30 per cent. less than last year's crop. Where spraying was carried out the proportion of diseased tubers is not large. The Department are taking the only measures at present in their power in this matter, namely, urging farmers to select their seed at once and not to feed livestock with seed potatoes or potatoes suitable for human consumption.
§ Mr. LYNCHAs this is not only a very complicated but very important question, may I ask that someone in the Department should be detailed to make a special study of the matter and to co-operate with the members of the Irish party on the subject?
§ Mr. DUKEI can assure the hon. Gentleman that that necessity has not been overlooked, and the Department has been at work on it with more than one of its ablest members for several weeks past.
§ Mr. O'DONNELLWhat has it done?