asked the Minister for Defence whether it is a fact that contracts for the supply of milk, eggs, bacon, and other provisions for the Army, which were to expire on March 31st, have been extended for two months, and whether any revision of prices to meet the improved market situation was made a condition of the extension?
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - ARMY PROVISION CONTRACTS.
TOMAS MAC EOIN
Contracts for the supplies in question, which were to expire on the 31st March, have been extended until the 30th April, 1924, except in the case of butter and eggs, in respect of which articles new contracts have been entered into in order to take advantage of lower prices now prevailing.
Tenders for supplies of all the foodstuffs required by the Army during the period from the 1st May until the 31st July have now been invited by advertisements in the Press.
With regard to the new contracts for the month that the President speaks of, were they given to the old contractors, or were they given to new contractors, and was there any attempt made to secure estimates from a number of different contractors?
No; they were given to the old contractors, I believe, in every case, with the exception of that one I mentioned about meat in the Naas Barracks.
Were the contracts renewed to these old contractors at winter or summer prices?
At the prices which were tendered for the last contracts, with the exception of contracts for eggs and butter.
There is a considerable difference between the price of milk in the winter and its price in the summer. The summer prices begin in April.
I cannot answer about milk. The information was conveyed to me about the other two items, and I gave directions which were carried out.