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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 8 Apr 1943

Vol. 89 No. 14

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Price of Butter.

asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will say whether he has advised the Minister for Supplies with reference to the price of butter; and, if so, if he will say on what production costings he has based his advice.

Before the recent Order prescribing a maximum retail price for butter was made by the Minister for Supplies, discussions on the subject took place between his Department and mine but the question of production costs did not arise.

Did the Minister advise the fixing of the price in an arbitrary fashion without taking costings into account?

The price was not fixed in an arbitrary fashion. It was fixed on the basis of the ex-creamery price.

Surely in fixing the price the Minister must take costings into account? How can he arrive at a fair price and leave a fair margin to the producer if he does not go into costs of production?

If the Deputy looks into the question, he will see that the Minister for Supplies was only concerned with what the wholesaler and retailer should get.

The Minister heard the Minister for Supplies on the last week we sat here reply to a similar question which I put to him that he was advised by the Minister for Agriculture in the matter. I said then that I would address a question to the Minister for Agriculture.

The Deputy must have misunderstood the Minister for Supplies.

I did not. The Minister for Supplies said he was advised by the Minister for Agriculture in the matter. I am now asking the Minister for Agriculture.

That is not a misunderstanding, but a misrepresentation.

I asked were costings taken into account. Evidently they were not.

Costs are taken into account where necessary.

What are the costings?

The Deputy ought to try to put down the question that he wants answered.

The Minister is not able to give the costs.

The Deputy is asking if I was consulted on the price fixed by the Department of Supplies for butter. The Minister only considered what the ex-creamery price of butter was and that is the basis of the retail price. Costs to the producer do not come into that. Why should they? The producer does not enter into that at all.

How is 1/11 arrived at, then?

It does not matter, when you cannot get butter. You cannot get butter even in the restaurant here.

The Deputy looks starved.

Ministers, of course, get plenty of butter.

1/11 is based on the ex-creamery price of butter.

Does it simply mean working backwards and taking 1d. off 2/-?

What does it matter whether you work backwards or forwards?

The Minister ought to work in a possible way.

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