asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether any talks have taken place with the British Government since the 13th June on the subject of the supply of coal to this country, and whether he will indicate the quantity of coal which will be made available to this country in the current and subsequent quarter of the year and the source of origin and price per ton of such coal.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Coal Supplies.
Talks with the British Government on the subject of coal took place in London on 10th July, and in order to put the results of the discussions in proper perspective I should recall briefly what has happened about British coal supplies for the first half of 1951.
The original allocations of solid fuel proposed for this country by the British Government for the first and second quarters amounted to 210,000 tons and 230,000 tons respectively. These allocations were subsequently increased to 221,000 tons and 249,000 respectively by the bodies dealing with the international allocation of European coal (O.E.E.C. and E.C.E.). Following on the March discussions with British Ministers, an additional allocation of 100,000 tons, covering the first half-year, was promised and this quantity was delivered in the second quarter. This brought the total allocation for the half-year to 570,000 tons, which was much less than half the minimum annual quantity of 1,570,000 tons guaranteed under the 1948 Trade Agreement.
The object of the discussions on Tuesday last was to impress on the British Government our expectation that, before the end of the year, the balance of the quantity guaranteed in the trade agreement would be supplied.
I regret to have to report that the British Government held out no hope of being able to fulfil their obligation by supplying in 1951 the minimum quantity specified in the trade agreement of 1948. They intimated that they would continue supplies for the rest of the year at the same rate as in the first half of the year, with a vague possibility of a slight improvement in the last quarter. This means that the total supply of British coal and coke for 1951 will be of the order of 1,140,000 tons or little more than two-thirds of the minimum quantity guaranteed in 1948.
The Minister for External Affairs and I conveyed to the British Ministers our complete dissatisfaction with their default on the most important obligation which they undertook in that agreement.
With regard to supplies from other sources, as I stated in reply to a question on the 4th July, coal supplies are allocated amongst European countries, including Ireland, on a quarterly basis by the Coal Committee of O.E.E.C. at Paris and the Economic Commission for Europe at Geneva. Allocations for the third quarter of this year have not yet been fixed. Arrangements have been made to import coal from the United States of America to whatever extent may be required, subject to shipping being available for its transportation, during the balance of the year.
I cannot forecast the prices which may be charged for coal by foreign suppliers during the second half of this year.
Has the attention of the British Government been directed to the fact that their default of 400,000 tons of coal under the 1948 agreement would be taking place, if it does ultimately transpire, against the background of their exports of coal to other countries with whom they have no treaty obligations at all and if so what rejoinder did they make?
All these representations were made. The British Government made no rejoinder except to admit they were defaulting on their contract and to say they were ashamed.
And that they were sending coal to other countries with which they had no treaty agreement and no obligations under any agreement while they were failing to perform that to which Mr. Attlee and Sir Stafford Cripps put their names in the 1948 agreement. I will believe that when the end of the year comes. Pending its transpiring, I refuse to believe that any British Government can so far disgrace itself.
Would not the flyby-nights be all right now if the Deputy had them?
The Minister has said that he could not anticipate the price at which coal would be imported, but is it the Minister's intention to continue the practice of marrying the prices of British and of United States coal?
Yes.
Would the Minister answer the last part of the question regarding the price per ton of such coal? If the Minister has not the information now he might be able to give it later.
Allocations have not yet been made by the European Committee and consequently I am unable to give that information.
When the Government are making representations to Britain again perhaps they might consider bringing the mighty Minister for Finance with them.
They will probably bring Deputy Dillon with them as he knows all about it.
Deputy Dillon rose.
Question No. 7.