asked the Minister for Supplies if he is aware of the fact that many people who previously relied on flour purchases for bread making are not being supplied with 80 per cent. of their previous purchases of flour.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Flour Supplies.
The position is as stated in the question. Every retailer is, however, getting his proper quota of flour but it appears clear that many of these retailers are not making an equitable distribution of supplies to their customers. Numerous cases brought under the notice of my Department have been investigated and rectified and any instances, in which the Deputy can give particulars, will be looked into without delay.
What does the Minister mean by an equitable distribution by retailers? What machinery has a retailer for ascertaining with certainty the number of persons in the family of a retail customer? Does not the Minister realise that he himself must do the job of rationing flour, and not the retailers, as he has the machinery at his disposal?
I want to say that any Deputies who think these difficulties are going to disappear with rationing are bigger fools than I thought they were. I think the difficulties will only begin when we attempt to apply a formal rationing scheme.
We all know the difficulties of the situation. Does the Minister realise that those who are trying to help him know tho facts as well as he does? Does he not realise that what we are asking for is not a 100 per cent. supply for everybody, but an equitable distribution of the 80 per cent. that is available, and that the only way to get that is by rationing?