asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he has any control over the allocation of vegetable contracts by a firm (details supplied).

I have no function in connection with this matter.

Could the Minister state if anyone is responsible for this?

I would assume that the manager of the factory concerned is the person with whom to take up this matter.

Does the Minister consider it proper, in view of the large injections of public money into East Cork Foods Limited, Midleton, that the allocation of contracts should be completely monopolised by four or five growers to the detriment of the small and middle sized farmers?

I would appreciate the truth of the assertion that there would be a great many more people looking for contracts than could possibly get them and that it would be reasonable, therefore, to expect that the management of the plant concerned would select growers on the basis of what was best for the performance of the plant.

Question No. 23.

Does the Minister think it right that certain growers—there are only four or five of them—should get between them 500 or 600 acres in a situation where small-and middle-size farmers cannot get a contract for a few acres?

I have already told the Deputy that I have no function in this matter, that it is a matter for the management of the factory. I do not propose to tell them what to do.