asked the Minister for Supplies whether it is proposed to pay the subsidy to bakers in respect of batch bread and at what rate is it to be allocated.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Subsidy to Bakers.
Forms of application for subsidy, together with explanatory instructions, have been distributed to the bakers licensed under the Emergency Powers (Bakers) Order, 1941. The first payment will be in respect of the period 13th October, 1941, to the 30th November, 1941. Some claims have been received in respect of that period and are under examination. It is expected that the payments will commence at a very early date.
Subsidy will be paid at the rate of ½d. per 4 lb. loaf on batch bread produced and sold in units of 1 lb. in weight, or in multiples of 1 lb., by licensed bakers. Full payments will, however, only be made on claims which are certified by auditors and regarding which my Department is satisfied.
In regard to the proviso requiring an auditor's certificate, how is a country baker to get that certificate without summoning from Dublin a firm of auditors to conduct an audit every time the Minister requires a return to be made? If that is so, is it not highly likely that the cost of the audit will more than consume the amount of the subsidy?
I do not think so.
Take a baker who is baking 20 sacks a week. How can he get an auditor's certificate, without the payment of a fee of five or ten guineas, including expenses?
If the baker will discuss the matter with his association, I am sure he will find that the difficulty will not be as considerable as the Deputy suggests.
Has the Minister some system in mind whereby the association would employ an auditor, or something of the kind? Many of the small country bakers are not members of the association.
So far as we are concerned, we do not propose to pay subsidy, except to bakeries which are prepared to submit audited accounts.
So that every small baker is going to be deprived of this subsidy on the ground that his business is not sufficiently large to permit of the employment of auditors?
I do not think that follows.
Am I pressing the Minister too hard if I ask him to say publicly, for the benefit of the small baker, what he should do? How is he to get an auditor's certificate?
That is a matter for himself. So far as the Government are concerned, we will pay on the strength of audited accounts, and not otherwise.
So that if a man is not able to afford an auditor, he must go without?
Or make an arrangement which will enable him to comply with the regulations.
That, to me, is a very strange arrangement.