I move the motion standing in the names of Deputy Anthony and myself:
That the Dáil is of opinion that, owing to the increase in the price of milk, the National Free Milk Scheme grant of £90,000 to local authorities is inadequate to meet the demands of the various voluntary committees carrying out the distribution of the milk, and that an increase in this grant should be made to cover present demands.
This motion has been on the Order Paper for nearly 12 months. It was put down immediately after an increase in the price of milk had been given to the producers, an increase which they richly deserved. However, my point is this: that we have in Dublin, as you have in many parts of the country, voluntary organisations working this scheme for the Government and for the local authorities. In Dublin we have the Infant Aid Society, who have upwards of 400 voluntary visitors, and with an exceptionally good ladies' committee, representing all classes. Now, Dublin's share of this national grant of £90,000 is £30,000, and it has been the same sum of £30,000 for the last five or six years, although the price of milk has been increased on at least two occasions, and, I think, on three occasions. What has happened in the case of the local authorities is that as the price of milk went up, the way the local authorities met that increased price, since the Government would not increase the grant, was to reduce the quantity of milk ordered for the benefit of the delicate children of necessitous parents. One would have thought that, when an increase in price was agreed to by the Government, those public and charitable bodies that were receiving grants to carry out their work would get an increase in these grants to enable them to meet the demands made upon them. Instead of that, what they have done is that they have taken the milk away from the babies of necessitous parents. Now, this was a special type of high-grade milk, tuberculin-tested, and was of great benefit to the children of Dublin, and I, as well as others, asked here in the Dáil for an increase in the grant.
I have before me a report of the Infant Aid Society, who complain that their activities have been seriously curtailed as a result of this. The report says:
"The annual grant of £30,000 allocated by the Local Government Department under the National Free Milk Scheme was regarded some years ago as adequate and even generous, but now, owing to the rise in the price of milk and the increase of unemployment with its consequent increase in applicants for free milk, the society finds it hard to meet the demands made upon its resources. At the present time a much greater supply of milk is required to off-set the shortage in other foodstuffs."
Now, I remember being at a meeting at which a very eminent member of the Parliamentary Secretary's profession—I think it was Dr. Shanley— spoke. Everybody in this House has a great regard for his opinion, and he said at that time that malnutrition and starvation were widespread in this city. When a man of his standard and type speaks in that way at a meeting of the Infant Aid Society, when these proposals were being considered, I think that his remarks and his opinion are worthy of very special note. Another paragraph of the report says:—
"The most important activity of the Society is the daily distribution of milk. During the past 12 months 2,172,384 pints were distributed for the benefit of children under five years of age whose parents were unable from their resources to provide them with a sufficient amount. The milk supplied was produced from tuberculin-tested herds, the property of 13 contractors."
Now, Dublin City has 27 depots, and we are hoping, in the very near future, to open at least three more—one of them in connection with our big Dublin Corporation housing scheme. In fact, I think that three of them will be in the new Corporation housing scheme. That would mean that, because of lack of funds, the milk would have to be distributed over a greater area, and will mean that some necessitous parents' children, whom the voluntary inspectors thought worthy of recommending, will be deprived of the milk. Another paragraph from the report goes on to say:
"It is only by visiting the poorer homes that any adequate idea can be gained of the distress and poverty that abound, and the hardships and suffering borne by the people, as revealed in recent reports of the Voluntary Visitors, make sad reading."
I shall not attempt to enlarge on the official statements in the annual report of the Infant Aid Society and of other societies that are doing this great work. You have the Catholic Social Services Guild, the St. John Ambulance Brigade Feeding Centres, and so on, all doing magnificent work, but I would appeal to the Parliamentary Secretary to consider the point I have made: that to permit an increase in the price of milk, and pay for it by a reduction in the amount of milk consumed by the children, was very false economy and, perhaps I might be permitted to say, very bad management. I ask the Parliamentary Secretary to reconsider this whole matter and to agree that £30,000 out of the total grant is insufficient for Dublin in view of the present circumstances. I am supported, as I have already said, by this very fine committee of ladies in Dublin, who are giving all their services free of charge, and I am sure that in order to make a success of this great scheme we will have the blessing and good will of the Parliamentary Secretary. I am sorry that Deputy Anthony is not here. He was to have seconded the motion, and I understand that he had some special figures to put forward to the House. I am sure, however, that the motion will not fall through for want of a seconder.