andMr. Keaveney asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he is aware of the difficult times encountered by pig-fatteners during the past 12 months; and the action he proposes to take to alleviate their situation.

I would think that 1976 was on the whole a profitable year for pig producers. Certainly profit margins were very good in the first half of the year but admittedly declined in the latter months of the year due to increases in feed prices. The only means open to me to secure assistance for pig producers is to urge in Brussels for the implementation of Community measures to assist producers throughout the Community. This I have done. We have secured the re-introduction of refunds on exports to third countries and we are urging the Commission to introduce storage aids which would enable us to cold-store pork until such time as external markets improve.

Surely the Minister will not ask pig-fatteners who have been in the business last year and before to take seriously the suggestion that they have had a relatively good year? Since it would appear from the Minister's reckoning that it was a good year despite the tailing off in the latter part of the year, how is it that our neighbours found it necessary to introduce certain subsidies even though they seem to be contrary to our EEC membership?

That was only in the last month.

It was a recognition. Does the Minister recognise the difficult time these people have had?

I recognise that the pig industry is going through a very difficult time at the moment and we are doing the maximum to relieve it. without doing something illegal as the British have done.

The fact remains that for the past 12 months the pig fatteners have been as near disaster as it is possible to be without them going out of business.

That is not so.

Brief questions, please, not statements.

I have seen some of these people who are at it and they are pretty good and they are, on the level of any return of business, in a disastrous situation during the last 12 months. If the pig producers across the Border can get relief there cannot be all that difference between here and there.

It is wrong to say they are in a disastrous situation for the last 12 months. The whole year of 1976 has been profitable and substantial for them.

I am surprised at the Minister saying that last year was a good year. It certainly was not.

A question, Deputy Callanan.

How is it that everybody in the EEC but Ireland can raise funds when it suits them? We must be the bugbears. We did not do it in cattle in 1974. I warned the Minister that this type of cycle would come in pigs and in cattle.

We are having a statement from the Deputy.

Is the Deputy asking a question I can answer?

Could the Minister not propose to give some kind of subsidy as they are doing in Britain?

A national subsidy, and be brought to the European Court as they are being brought to it?

Could the Minister even at this stage not propose a balancing fund for agriculture as I have suggested? He should create the fund within the European Community for the aid of producers at a time like this.

The answer is that they would not support such a fund.

Now——

Order, Deputy Callanan. The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.