andMr. Mongan asked the Minister for Supplies if he is aware that in large areas in North Mayo and West Galway, where the growing of wheat is a practical impossibility, the percentage of flour allowed at the present time is the same as in those areas where the growing of wheat offers no difficulty; and if he is further aware that the people of these areas in West Galway and North Mayo are consequently left in a very much worse position regarding their present supplies of flour than in the wheat-growing areas; and, if so, if he will take such steps as may be required to provide the people in West Galway and North Mayo with additional supplies of flour so as to put them on the same basis of supply as those in the wheat-growing districts.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Supplies of Flour in West Galway and North Mayo.
In view of the limited quantity of wheat available, it has been found necessary to reduce the quantity of flour to be produced by millers to 80 per cent. of their deliveries in 1940. Traders in a number of areas will not, as a rule, receive this proportion for distribution to consumers, as provision has to be made to meet requirements in cases of emergency, and to meet special claims in certain areas. I am aware that in certain areas in North Mayo numbers of consumers who formerly purchased their requirements of flour from travelling shops are now unable to obtain their supplies from these sources, inasmuch as these shops have either ceased visiting these areas or have curtailed their visits. Arrangements have, however, been made to allow the local shopkeepers extra supplies to meet the increased demands made on them. An investigation is being made into the question of the distribution of flour in West Galway. and, pending its completion, arrangements have been made to provide extra supplies of flour for this area.
Is the Minister aware that in West Donegal many families have been without flour or bread for weeks and have had to rely altogether on a diet of potatoes? Would he take steps to see that an equitable distribution of bread, flour and oatenmeal is made to these poor people?
I think the Deputy is aware that steps have already been taken to relieve the situation in West Donegal.
Have any steps been taken to circulate the information which the Minister has just given? The Minister referred to the fact that flour formerly distributed by travelling shops would now be distributed from other sources. What steps have been taken to circulate that information?
I do not follow the Deputy's point. In certain districts— West Donegal, North Mayo and the Connemara area—difficulties arose during the last quota period by reason of the fact that travelling shops which formerly visited these areas had ceased visiting them or had curtailed their visits. That involved an adjustment in the distribution of flour. Allocations to the travelling shops have been reduced and allocations to shopkeepers resident in the area have been increased.
The question I asked was whether any steps had been taken to circulate that information amongst the people. The Minister said that Deputies ought to know what the situation was, that they should consult the Dublin newspapers.
I made no reference to the Dublin newspapers.
Perhaps he said the newspapers. There appears to be some difficulty in the West in getting supplies.
When I referred to the newspapers, I was not referring to the distribution of flour.
We shall leave that absolutely. What steps have been taken to acquaint the people concerned that supplier which were available at one time from one source are now available from another?
Local arrangements have been made to deal with these difficulties. There are officers of my Department in these districts at present whose efforts are directed to seeing that difficulties of distribution are as far as possible eliminated.
But how is that done? It cannot be done in the manner we know so well here in Dublin where a man goes round with a placard on his back and another in front. What steps have been taken to acquaint the people of these arrangements? There has been a considerable amount of correspondence in connection with this matter from the West. I do not know whether the Minister has seen a letter from the Belmullet area written by the chairman of the parish council. There has been a whole series of complaints that the people are not getting anything like sufficient supplies and that the 80 per cent. basis of distribution is not fair in their case because they had other sources of supply which have now been stopped and in consequence they are at a great disadvantage.
That does not apply in Belmullet. In the case of Belmullet, there has been difficulty of distribution due mainly to the curtailment of the activities of travelling shops. That has been rectified. There is another problem in Belmullet due to the scarcity of potatoes. There is no scarcity of potatoes in the country as a whole, but there appears to be in that area. There will be a permanent problem in the Belmullet area owing to difficulty of transport. As the Deputy is aware, it was necessary for the Government in former years to subsidise a shipping service to that area because there was practically no other means of transport. That service was stopped some years ago because the development of road transport made it unnecessary. The problem of transport in the area is again having active attention.
Has flour actually been sent to Belmullet?
Certainly. I have already said so.