I gave notice at the start of business to-day that I proposed to raise the question of supplies of paraffin oil in the rural areas. I want information on this subject and I want the Minister to take some action with regard to it. My information is—and I know it to be correct— that the shortage of paraffin oil throughout rural Ireland is so acute that thousands of homesteads have no light at all. There is a saying in the country, as you, Sir, know: "He would not give you the light of day." The Minister cannot keep the light of day from the people in the rural areas, but he certainly is not giving them any light at night. I do not know what the people in our towns and cities would say if they were in the position that they had no light. There would be a tremendous clamour and the Minister would be on his toes to see what he could do to facilitate and accommodate them.
I made some inquiries about the situation before raising this matter, and my information is to the effect that paraffin is available but that the problem is one of transport. The Minister can correct me in that regard and can inform the House as to what the situation is. The problem is one of transport, and paraffin is classified so low down in the list of commodities to be transported that it is somewhere about the 13th or 14th class. If electricity were 13th or 14th in the list of things to be transported to the people in the City of Dublin, the Minister would have been brought to book long ago. I do not know what he thinks about the farmers and about the difficulties under which they labour, but children attending school have no light to do their home lessons and the people cannot read the newspapers at night.
If the Minister makes inquiries he will find that this is not merely a problem in my county, or in part of it, but a problem which exists north, south, east and west. It is a situation which ought to be rectified immediately by the Minister, Frankly, I am astonished by the silence which has prevailed with regard to this matter for so long, but I suggest it is an urgent matter to which the Minister ought and must give his immediate attention.