asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is aware that there is a grave shortage of shipping space for cattle on the North Wall, Dublin; and that this is causing unnecessary delay to shippers of cattle and is resulting in a serious loss of income to these people; and if in the interests of the cattle trade generally he will ensure that further shipping space is provided immediately so that the delay in the shipment of cattle from the port of Dublin can be eliminated.

There has been exceptional pressure on shipping space in recent weeks and my Department has kept in very close touch with the shipping companies throughout that period so as to ensure that everything practicable was done to deal with the situation, which, I should add, was due to special circumstances and is unlikely to persist.

What are the "special circumstances" to which the Minister refers?

The "special circumstances" were the notification of the alteration in the subsidy scheme for fat stock.

Perhaps the Minister would be a little more explicit. Was it notification that the subsidy on the export of fat stock was to fall from 50/- to 20/- or from £2 to 20/-?

It was impossible to know the extent to which it would have to fall when the announcement was made.

Was a decision not taken that the rate of subsidy could not exceed 20/-?

It was impossible to know at that time what the old rate would be at 31st July.

What was it?

I cannot say exactly what it was at the time of the notification of the alteration, but it was not more than about 30/-.

Was it not 43/- last year?

That is different.

Was it not 43/- last year?

That is a different question.

Order.

It was 43/- and it is now 20/-.

The Deputy never did anything about it.

I never had to subsidise fat cattle exports when I was Minister for Agriculture and they were fetching more then than they are now with the subsidy.

They were not.

They were, indeed.

Remember 1956.

Order.

When the Deputy boasted about the 1949 Agreement, he never thought we would have to pay a subsidy on the export of beef.

I hope we will do as well in the Common Market.