asked the Minister for Agriculture if his attention has been drawn to the huge losses sustained by farmers, blood stock breeders and others engaged in the breeding or training of horses since the introduction of the British tariffs by reason of which the prices of draught and harness horses, hunters and racehorses have been drastically reduced and of the impact of tariffs on horses entering Great Britain to compete in races, and whether in view of the paramount importance to the State of the horse breeding industry he will consider the need for minimising the extent of the losses and the preservation of horse breeding in Saorstát Eireann by the provision of ad valorem bounty on horses for export.

I am aware that the British tariff has inflicted serious losses on persons engaged in the horse breeding industry. The matter has received the careful consideration of the Government, but, as already intimated on 10th instant in my reply to a similar question by Deputy Keating, it is not their intention to grant a bounty on the export of horses.

Has the Minister still under consideration the provision of bounties on horses?

I am answering the question generally.