asked the Minister for Supplies if he is aware that householders in Midfield, Swinford, County Mayo, did not receive any paraffin oil ration for the month of December, 1943, with the result that they were caused considerable discomfort during Christmas; and if he will take steps to ensure that householders in this district are supplied with their oil ration regularly in the future.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Supply of Paraffin and Kerosene in Mayo.
I am aware that householders throughout the country, generally, including those in the Midfield, Swinford, area of County Mayo, experienced difficulty in obtaining their December rations of paraffin oil owing to depletion in the stocks of the oil distributing companies during the month. Stocks were replenished in the area in question early in January and the period of validity of retailers' December permits was extended to the 15th January, 1944, to enable those retailers affected to obtain any quantity due to them and to supply any outstanding rations to their customers.
The delivery of kerosene to retailers for issue to their customers is dependent on the stocks available for distribution from time to time, and, in present circumstances, no undertaking can be given that supplies will, at all times, be available for regular distribution in all areas.
Is the Minister aware that the people of County Mayo have not received any paraffin allowance since the month of October, that they got none for December or January and that—a thing which is unique in the history of this country—they had not in Christmas week light to see the little bit of food they had to eat? While these people have been deprived of all means of light in the west, other people, such as the owners of incubators for hatching eggs, the owners of traction machines, tractors and others can get an abundance of kerosene. It may be that some kerosene is going into the black market, while these poor people who are dependent on this allowance for the milking of their cows, to attend to the sick and to provide light for doctor and nurse——
The Deputy is now making a speech.
It is not a speech. This matter is of such importance that I am entitled to put this to the Minister——
The Chair is the judge. Supplementary questions must be brief.
Questions must be brief, but the importance of this question cannot be exaggerated. It is all very well for Deputy Dillon to interject "rotten" but he has got electric light——
The Deputy may not deal with Deputy Dillon in his supplementary question.
Is i nGaedhilg do labhair mé.
What is the Minister going to do about the matter? Let him provide the people with light or resign his position as Minister for Supplies.
asked the Minister for Supplies for what reason many retailers in South Mayo were deprived of the December allowance of kerosene, and if he is aware that such shortage caused hardship and dissatisfaction amongst many people during Christmas week.
I am not aware that many retailers in South Mayo were deprived of their December allowances of kerosene. In common with retailers throughout the country, kerosene retailers in South Mayo may have experienced difficulty in obtaining their permitted supplies of kerosene during part of the month of December. This was due to the depletion of the stocks of kerosene during that month. The stocks were, however, replenished towards the end of the month and the period of validity of the retailers' December permits was extended to the 15th January to enable all retailers concerned to obtain their overdue supplies and to provide any outstanding rations for their customers.
Arising out of the Minister's reply, will he not admit that I wrote to his Department about a month ago on this matter, and that the answer was that the people concerned would get their December supply on the 15th January, and that they did not get it? I know, and the Minister knows and is perfectly aware of that fact, and why, therefore, should he stand up here and try to tell a lie?
Is the Minister aware that whatever instructions he may have issued, the oil company, not only in the area of County Mayo with which I am familiar, but in other areas, are refusing to give the people their December ration if the supply was not available in their neighbourhood in December? I know of two cases, in connection with one of which I wrote to the Department, in which a man got no ration in December and, when it came to January, he was told that he could not be given his December ration. Are we not entitled to direct the Minister's attention to cases of that kind, in the certainty that he will compel the oil company to give the December ration of oil to the people concerned when the company failed to give it at that particular time?
The difficulty arises out of the fact that there was no oil available for distribution at that time, but Deputy Cafferky does not appear to understand that.
I know that, but I want to know why these retailers were deprived of their December allowance.
The Deputy is childish.
I am not. It is the Minister who is childish.
Perhaps, Mrs. Shaw was right, after all. The supply for December arrived after the beginning of the month, and it was not possible, therefore, to make it available to many distributors, not merely in County Mayo but in many other parts of the country, until late in the month of December. In order to meet that situation, the validity of the licences which had been issued to these retailers in December was extended to the 15th January so as to enable the retailers concerned to obtain their overdue supplies and to provide outstanding rations for their customers. They were allowed up to the 15th January. A somewhat similar situation arose in the beginning of this month. In fact, at the beginning of this month I already had an announcement drafted for the newspapers to the effect that no supply would be available but, fortunately, on that day, a supply arrived, and it was not necessary to make the announcement. However, it will take some time to get that supply unloaded and distributed and, consequently, with regard to the month of February, there will be a delay in getting the supply distributed throughout the country. These things are inevitable in the circumstances that exist at the present time.
It was not possible to extend the validity of the December licences beyond the 15th January, because, in most cases, it is not possible to deal with such supplies retrospectively at all. It was only in the special circumstances existing at the time that that extension was given to the 15th January. After that date we had to take stock of the position for the month of February, and in taking stock of that position we had to take into account all the available supplies. As all these things have to be taken into account—the availability of stocks, the possibility of replenishment, and so on—it would not be possible to deal with the matter retrospectively without upsetting the whole position. In the circumstances, therefore, it is not possible to extend the validity of these licences or permits beyond the 15th of the following month. After that, the validity of the permit is wiped out, and we have to decide the question on that basis.
I am quite satisfied that the Minister's case, as he has put it before us, is a reasonable one, but I am looking at the matter from the point of view of the distribution of kerosene by the oil companies. I have spoken of two cases. Will the Minister, for instance, look into the case of John Corrigan, Curasallagh, Lisacul, County Roscommon?
I shall look into any case, but I do say that if Deputy Cafferky, or any other Deputy, knows of a case of any person who has got kerosene for use in a tractor and who has used it for other purposes, then he is neglecting his duties as a Deputy if he does not report such a case to my Department.
I did not say that I know of such a case, but it is strongly rumoured that that is the position. Will the Minister say that these people will get their December supply?
A sufficient quantity of kerosene to enable a half a gallon to be distributed during the month of February is available.
In case of any delay in distribution, will there be any extension made during March?
Certainly.
Will it be available up to the 15th March?
Certainly—at least, so far as supplies are available.
In connection with this, I should like to point out to the Minister that prosecutions have followed in the case of some small farmers who bought kerosene in the black market at from 12/- to 14/- a gallon, and I have submitted cases of that kind to the Minister's Department.
Then Deputy Cafferky is right.
Deputy Cafferky's organisation have refused to give evidence with regard to commodities sold in the black market.
What organisation is the Deputy referring to?