asked the Minister for Defence if he will state the circumstances in which the Army authorities decided to invite tenders for the purchase of 40,685 seven-pound tins of biscuits; and the purpose for which the biscuits were purchased in the first instance.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Purchase of Biscuits for Army.
Mr. Boland
The biscuits were purchased at the beginning of the emergency as part of the Army emergency rations. As these biscuits would not be issued in the normal way as rations to the troops, the possibility of making them available as gift to the Red Cross is at present under consideration.
May I say, first of all, that I hope that laudable intention may be implemented, but if it is not, in the event of it being decided to continue to invite tenders, will the Minister bear in mind the possibility that one small group of people may collar this 280,000 lbs. weight of biscuits, with all the possibilities of abuse that may arise from that? If it is not possible to pass them on to some charitable organisation for charitable purposes, will the Minister consider endeavouring to recirculate the biscuits through the trade, so that the ordinary small shopkeeper in the country may get a quota for sale to persons who at present have extreme difficulty in getting biscuits? Would the Minister bear that in mind?
Mr. Boland
I will pass that on to the Minister for Defence.