Live Stock Inspection (Belfast). (Hansard, 4 July 1917)

§ Mr. DEVLIN

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether he is aware that a number of cattle belonging to cattle dealers in Belfast and district could not be shipped by the cross-Channel steamers, owing to the fact that they had not been examined by the veterinary surgeons of the Department; whether for many years past the examination of the cattle being shipped from Belfast has been made upon the Great Northern Railway Company's premises; whether on a recent date when the cattle were brought by their owners to the railway company's yard at May-field, premises of the Great Northern Railway Company in Laganbank Road and Albert Bridge, the gate of the yard was closed by the railway company's servants and the cattle could not enter; whether the veterinary surgeons of the Department were on the premises ready to make the examination, but as the railway company's officials had closed the gates the cattle could not come into the yard and the examination could not be made whether as a result the cattle were kept in Belfast, and inconvenience and delay caused to the owners; and whether, in view of the fact that the railway company have no control whatever over the cattle which are brought to the yard to comply with the law which requires that all cattle being shipped must be examined, that the examination can only be made at the railway company's yard, and that all the railway company has to do, at any time it chooses, is to close the gates of the yard, and thus prevent the examination of the cattle and inconvenience the owner?, the Department of Agriculture 1132W will take action either to ensure that the cattle are allowed free access to the yard or have the examination by their veterinary surgeons in some other centre convenient for the cattle owners?