asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the total cost of advertising aids to agriculture in all the newspapers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Agricultural Aid Advertisement.
25.
The total cost of the advertisement in question was £879 Os 6d.
Arising out of that reply, is this not a deplorable waste of public money in order to advertise the Minister? Can the Minister give any explanation as to why this was done? Is there not enough prejudice in the country against the farmers without indulging in this sort of thing in order to give rise to further prejudice? Did the Minister not promise, in fact, that this should not and would not be done in future?
I considered it desirable to put the full facts before the general public.
Using the taxpayers' money to raise the falling fortunes of Fianna Fáil.
Is it fair to describe as an aid to agriculture the cost of the Botanic Gardens?
I have never described that as aid to agriculture.
It is included. Using the taxpayers' money to advertise Fianna Fáil!
(Interruptions.)