asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he is aware of the shortage of animal feeding stuffs, and of the consequent difficulty of producing high quality milk; and, if so, whether he will consult with the Minister for Local Government and Public Health with a view to the suspension for the duration of the emergency of the requirements of the Public Health Acts as regards the quality of milk offered for sale for human consumption.

I am not prepared to agree that the position in regard to animal feeding stuffs is such as to make it difficult to produce high quality milk, and I do not, therefore, propose to recommend the suspension, for the duration of the emergency, of the requirements of the Public Health Act relating to the quality of milk offered for sale for human consumption.

Will the Minister inform the House of the concentrated foods which were available to dairy owners last March and February in order to enable cows to produce milk of the required standard? What ration could be given to cows to enable them to produce such milk?

I have already informed the House that, whatever the supply of animal feeding stuffs is, it has no influence on the percentage of solids in the milk.

Is the Minister for Agriculture informing the House that feeding has nothing to do with the quality of the milk?

That is a well-known fact.

The food given to cows has no relation to the quality of the milk?

Not to the quality.

I did not think that the Minister for Agriculture was quarter as stupid as he is.

The Deputy should know something about his business.

If Deputies seek to expand supplementary questions into argument and debate, supplementary questions may be cut short.

When the Deputy has no argument, he engages in abuse.

I hope the Minister's reply will appear in leaded type in the papers to-morrow.

I hope so.