asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if, in view of the danger of a fuel shortage next winter, he will remove any restriction which operates to prevent private producers and dealers in fuel from supplying such fuel in areas where Fuel Importers, Limited, have a monopoly; and also, if he will provide petrol allowances for such transport, so as to have an uninterrupted delivery to private users, who, during the winter, will not then be making demands on the supplies required for people who are not in a position, at present, to build up reserve stocks.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Private Producers of Turf.
The restrictions to which the Deputy refers were designed to ensure the equitable distribution of the available turf supplies and the necessity for their operation is greater during a period of threatened or actual shortage than under more normal conditions. It is not proposed, therefore, to make any change in the existing procedure.
Would the Minister grant concessions in areas where Fuel Importers, Limited, have a monopoly?
There is no area in which Fuel Importers, Limited, have a monopoly. They are not a monopolist concern.
They are something very like it.
Take Dungarvan area, where private individuals cannot get supplies of turf from private suppliers. They must get it only through Fuel Importers, Limited.
Rightly so. We all want our share of it.
During the winter period supplies may be limited and at the present moment private individuals could get supplies. Would not the Minister or Fuel Importers, Limited, remove the restrictions to give those people an opportunity of laying in stocks before the winter period?
What the Deputy suggests is that some people who are wealthier than others should be allowed to buy turf which if they did not buy it would come into the pool for rationing. I will not do that. I think it would be most inequitable to do it. If people can get additional supplies of turf over and above the ration by the process of cutting it themselves, any person who is prepared to do that will be facilitated.
The point is that a quantity of turf remained in the bogs last year. In view of the fact that transport difficulties may arise at a later stage in the year, I want the Minister not to deny people the right to put in additional supplies now.
I am not denying anybody the right to get turf, and there will be no transport difficulties in respect of turf produced by people by their own labours. If they want to buy turf which would otherwise come into the ration pool they will not be allowed to do it.
These are private producers of turf who can dispose of it.
Fuel Importers, Limited, will buy all the turf that private producers produce and will keep it available for distribution on the ration.