asked the Minister for Supplies whether he will afford the small millers who have not the most modern drying machinery an allocation of coal sufficient to dry wheat coming into their mills in view of the fact that turf as a drying agent in such equipment is liable to impart a disagreeable flavour like iodine to the flour subsequently abstracted.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Coal for Drying of Wheat.
I would refer the Deputy to the replies given to recent similar questions, in which I have indicated that, in the present difficult circumstances in regard to coal supplies, I cannot see my way to make coal available to commission millers for the drying of grain. The only exception is in the case of oats intended for conversion into oatmeal for human consumption, where it is satisfactorily established that the use of turf is impracticable.
I fully appreciate the difficulties under which the Minister is labouring, but does he not think that coal should, if necessary, be diverted from some other purpose, in order to ensure that substantial quantities of wheat will not be spoiled by an attempt to dry them with turf in drying equipment which is not adapted to turf, and has he received representations from certain small millers that the attempt to use turf in their drying plant has resulted in contamination of the wheat?
There is, of course, amongst some of these millers a reluctance to use turf, but, in fact, in a very large number of mills of the type to which the Deputy refers in his question, turf has been used at all times. An inspection has been made of a number of these mills in which turf is now being used, and in a large number of cases, there is no complaint by the millers as to the results secured.
In the event of a miller finding that flour extracted from wheat dried in this apparatus with turf has an unacceptable flavour, will the Minister investigate that specific case and if the miller can establish that it is due to the impossibility of using turf satisfactorily in his dying kiln, will he consider giving him some alternative fuel?
We will consider advising him how to use the turf so as to get the best results.
The Minister will come to his assistance in eliminating the disagreeable contamination of the wheat?
Certainly.
Very well.