asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he is aware that excessive railway rates are still in operation in Ireland, although British railway companies have reduced their rates considerably; whether the increased rates are 25 per cent. higher on agricultural produce than on other merchandise; whether the prices of foodstuffs produced by Irish farmers are not now more than half what they were in 1920, and very little above pre-war level; whether he will have an inquiry instituted, with a view to ascertaining whether the excessive rates and charges on agricultural produce can be reduced, so as to bear the same relation to the pre-war rates as the prices of agricultural produce now bear to pre-war figures; further, whether he will consider the advisability of setting up a Railway Rates Advisory Committee on similar lines to the British body.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. [ORAL ANSWERS.] - IRISH RAILWAY RATES.
SEAN O DUINNIN
I have been asked to give the answer, which is:— It is obviously desirable that such early reductions should be brought about in railway rates, as will cheapen transit for all commodities. Progress in this direction could be made at once by reductions in the working costs on the railways, but I do not consider that it would serve any useful purpose to set up a tribunal to investigate railway rates until the future organisation of the railway system which is now being considered has been decided. The British body to which the Deputy refers was created by the Railways Act, 1921, which at the same time reorganised the British railways, and laid down principles that should govern the fixing of railway rates. The British tribunal consequently has a standard by which to test the level of rates. A similar body in Ireland would have no such standard until it is prescribed in the legislation on the whole subject of railways which it will be necessary to introduce. I fully appreciate that this question is an urgent one, but it is also complicated, and I do not wish to press the railway companies unduly on the matter while there is a prospect of its being settled by agreement.