§ Mr. CLANCYasked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that immense quantities of herrings have, within the last few days, been caught in Dublin Bay, but have had to be thrown back into the sea outside Howth Harbour owing to the impossibility of finding a market for them; whether the Department would be willing to help in preventing such results of the labours of the fishermen by establishing or aiding in the establishment of a curing station at Howth, as has been done by the Congested Districts Board on the West Coast; and whether, if necessary, an inquiry will be held at once with a view to determining the possibility of such action in the immediate future?
§ Mr. RUSSELLThe Department are aware that a couple of boats at Howth on one occasion recently threw their herrings overboard rather than accept the prices offered. Such exceptional incidents occur occasionally at all summer herring stations, particularly when fish arrive in port in hot weather too late for the markets. It is not certain that the class of herring now being landed at Howth is suitable for curing. The Department had at the beginning of the season made arrangements to test this, and offered the services of an expert curer free; the fish then being caught were certainly unfit for profitable curing, and as the very hot weather had not then set in the fresh fish market offered the most suitable outlet. The Depart-1064W ment are prepared and intend to assist in making the experiment of curing, if possible, before the season closes.