asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state on what grounds Mr. John French, Bannow, County Wexford, was refused a licence for registration as a timber merchant, although there is a big demand in the area for commercial timber and he has many urgent inquiries for supplies of same, and will the Minister state the names and addresses of persons who hold such licences in Bannow.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Timber Merchant's Licence.
Section 4 (6) of the Emergency Powers (Control of Timber) Order, 1941, provides that where an application for registration as a timber merchant under the Order is made after June 18th, 1941, the application may be refused. The first application for registration on behalf of Mr. John French was made on January 16th, 1943.
Mr. French's application, and a very large number of similar applications made subsequent to June, 1941, have been refused in accordance with the general policy of my Department not to grant registration to new applicants where the reasonable needs of the residents in the area concerned can be supplied by the saw-mills already registered in the area. I regret that it is not possible to grant exceptional treatment in the case of Mr. French.
Will the Minister tell me who is registered in the district? He said there are saw-mills already registered in the area. Where are they?
In Cullenstown the firm of P.M. Murphy, Limited, are registered.
Politics again.
This firm was registered because it applied in time.
Mr. Murphy is a newcomer and, because he is backing Fianna Fáil, he gets a licence.
That is entirely incorrect.
It is not incorrect, and I can prove it.
I merely wish to mention that the register was closed in June, 1941, and the person in whose application the Deputy is interested did not apply until January, 1943.
When did Mr. Murphy apply?
Prior to 1941.
He did not, if my information is correct.