asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will make a statement regarding the present difficulties of the meat processing industry.

While the slaughterings of bullocks and heifers at the factories this year are less than for the same period in 1971 slaughterings in the past six weeks exceed those for the corresponding period in 1971. The Irish Fresh Meat Exporters Society Limited informed me at a meeting on 17th April that they have a special committee examining in depth the whole situation in regard to the marketing of meat under EEC conditions and I propose to have a further meeting with the society and other interests concerned in the near future.

Why is the Minister so dilatory about handling this very important problem? This problem has been with us for some time. This industry employs a large number of people and is our most important industry. The Minister is waiting now for consultations to take place. Surely he should have handled this matter before now? Has he any long term solution?

That is not so at all. This question is being adequately dealt with as the situation has been developing for some time now. The measures that have already been taken by the Government in this regard have been effective, as is reflected in the weekly killings of cattle for the last few weeks. The industry is conscious of this as well. I do not need to be told by Deputy Hogan the importance of this particular industry to the country. This is the reason why I am in special contact with the people most intimately involved in the industry.

The Minister is standing idly by.

Could the Minister state if he is in favour of the development of a marketing board on a voluntary basis for the meat industry which would incorporate all the interested bodies?

This general question is one of the matters I discussed with the industry generally the day before yesterday. It is at present being examined by the people in the industry itself and we are having a further meeting on that particular subject and others in the very near future.