asked the Minister for Supplies if he will state the position regarding the supply and price to consumers of all kinds of fuel: turf per dozen sods, wood blocks per stone, briquettes per stone or sack, coal blocks per dozen, coal per bag, and if arrangements will be made to distribute a sufficient supply to small consumers through the bellmen and other suppliers of small quantities.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Price of Fuel.
Mr. Byrne
The price of coal when sold retail in the County Borough of Dublin in a quantity less than ten stone in weight by bellmen or hucksters has been fixed by an order made by me at a price not to exceed a rate of 5½d. per stone. I have also made orders fixing the maximum prices at which turf may be sold retail at a price calculated at the rate of 64/- per ton and this commodity may only be sold by weight. The maximum price fixed for wood blocks, not exceeding ten inches in length or diameter, in the County Borough of Dublin and the Borough of Dun Laoghaire is a price calculated at the rate of 60/- per ton delivered to consumers. If the dimensions are greater than the foregoing the maximum price is at the rate of 56/- per ton.
The prices charged for briquettes and coal blocks are at present the subject of investigation in my Department and if it should be found necessary, price orders will be made fixing maximum prices for these classes of fuel.
If the Deputy is aware of any instances where prices in excess of those fixed by order have been charged, I will have them investigated immediately if he will let me have the particulars, and legal proceedings will be instituted if the evidence warrants such proceedings.
There is no restriction on the purchase of fuel by small consumers, that is, persons who purchase in quantities of two stones of coal or less, or four stones of turf. Quantities of coal are made available to the bellmen and hucksters who serve such consumers at a lower cost than the normal rate charged by merchants.
Mr. Byrne
Arising out of the reply, the Minister did not fully answer the last portion of the question. May I ask when will he allow sufficient coal or fuel of some kind to be released to enable bellmen and hucksters to have supplies for people who buy in small lots at 6d. and 1/-? There are some areas in the city where a bellman has not been seen for over a month. I would suggest to the Minister the advisability of making further inquiries to find out if the emergency is not here already, and to see that those people who have fireless grates will be enabled to get supplies. There is no use in telling me that coal is available at £3 a ton. They want coal in one-stone lots and seven-stone lots. The prices read out by the Minister are not being complied with by those selling coal. May I ask him to put an advertisement in the newspapers setting out the price of coal per stone and of turf per dozen sods, so that the poorer type of purchaser will be protected?
May I ask the Minister if the prices he quoted apply to Dublin and Dun Laoghaire only, and to no other city?
The question I was asked relates to Dublin.
Mr. Byrne
May I ask the Minister to deal with my supplementary questions?
The bellmen and hucksters who are registered are receiving supplies of fuel sufficient to enable them to distribute the prescribed ration to their registered customers.
Mr. Byrne
Is the Minister aware that the small consumer who bought a stone of coal for 6d. or 7d. was never registered, and is not registered to-day? That person bought coal casually when a man passed his door if he had 6d. to spare to buy it. I suggest to the Minister that it is necessary for him to take immediate steps to protect those people who, within the last few weeks, have been without a fire. They have not been able to get any kind of fuel for their fireless grates. The bellmen and the hucksters are getting a delivery of fuel, but they are not getting sufficient.
Nobody is getting sufficient.
Mr. Byrne
The bellmen are getting half a load to distribute in the tenement and working-class quarters and I suggest that this is a very serious matter, deserving of more attention than it is receiving. I do not say that the Minister is neglecting it. I believe he is doing his best, but every Deputy in Dublin City knows that people in these areas are complaining that they cannot get coal or fuel anywhere.
Would the Minister consult the Minister for Local Government and Public Health with a view to seeing whether this question cannot be investigated? I suggest that it is well worth investigation.
I do not know to what question the Deputy refers.
The difficulty experienced by people in the poorer quarters in the City of Dublin in procuring fuel.
I am concerned only with the distribution of fuel through commercial channels. Supplies are being made available to the bellmen and hucksters who normally supply these consumers. They are getting not only the best of the fuel available, but they are getting it at a lower cost than that normally charged. It is true that they are not getting sufficient to give unlimited supplies to everybody, but they are getting their full share of the available supplies.
Would the Minister consider an investigation as to whether that commercial machinery has not broken down?
That aspect of the matter has been fully considered at all times.
I do not think that the Minister has taken the necessary steps to investigate it properly.
Mr. Byrne
We all sympathise with the Minister. One of our most prominent Senators told me that his charwoman turned up to his house yesterday and said she had no breakfast. When asked why, she said she had neither coal nor turf to boil a kettle. I understand that that prominent Senator is writing to the Taoiseach and to the Minister, if he has not done so already. This happened only yesterday.