asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state whether any investigation has been made to ascertain the number or percentage of bovine animals infected by T.B., and if no such investigation has been made whether he will take steps to have one made without delay.

Such limited information as is available could not be regarded as a criterion of the incidence of tuberculosis in cattle stocks in this country. I do not propose to arrange for an investigation of the nature suggested by the Deputy.

Is the Minister aware that in the Dublin abattoir alone each year no less than 1,000,000 lbs. of meat is condemned as unfit for human consumption and, in these circumstances, does he not consider it worth while to investigate the incidence of the disease which in the main is responsible for this loss?

I think the Deputy is grossly exaggerating the figure. I do not know why.

What figure is exaggerated?

1,000,000 lbs.

The Deputy is trying to injure the cattle trade of the country.

Will the Minister look at the report of the medical officer of health for any year from 1937 onwards, where he will find confirmation of that figure?

The Deputy ought to be ashamed of himself to suggest that our cattle have T.B. He ought to keep quiet about it.

The Deputy is more interested in the bookmaker than in the cattle trade.