asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether, in view of the difficulties which are being experienced by local authorities in securing contractors for the supply of free milk, he will arrange to permit local authorities to make an equivalent cash allocation to such families as would ordinarily be entitled to free milk and who are unable to obtain it owing to the difficulty of procuring contractors.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Free Milk Supplies.
I am aware that there are difficulties in arranging for supplies of milk under the free milk scheme in certain parts of Kildare County and my Department has been in communication with the county manager with a view to overcoming these difficulties.
The grant for the supply of free milk for necessitous children has been specially provided by the Government, by reason of the special value of milk as a food for children, and the application of the grant for any other purpose but the provision of milk would not be approved. The Emergency Powers (No. 95) Order, 1941, of the 24th June, 1941, enables milk to be obtained for distribution under the free milk scheme from persons who are not registered dairymen. This arrangement proved satisfactory in several areas where difficulties of milk supply had arisen, and as the difficulties experienced in certain parts of Kildare County are not altogether due to a shortage of milk produced in the county, the local authority are being asked to make further endeavour to ensure that a supply of milk will be available under the free milk scheme.