asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he is aware that grave hardship is being caused to a large section of the community, particularly to poor people, by the high price which they are compelled to pay for bread and household flour, and if he will consider the question of reverting to the previous arrangement of subsidising wheat growing direct from the Central Fund, thus bringing about a substantial reduction in the price of bread and flour.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Direct Subsidisation of Wheat Growing.
The system of paying out of the Central Fund direct subsidies to wheat growers was given a trial but it proved in practice to have so many objections from the farmers' and the administrative points of view that it had to be abandoned. I am not prepared to revert to it.
The Deputy is mistaken in assuming that the present system of guaranteed prices adds considerably to the cost of bread and household flour.
Who is right?
I am, of course.
The Minister knows that he is in disagreement with his colleague, the Minister for Industry and Commerce, who in this House said that the wheat scheme did contribute to the cost of flour.
Not considerably, I said.
Now you say it does not. Will you fight it out between yourselves so that the Minister for Industry and Commerce can give us the truth when he is replying to the debate?