asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state the controlled price of coal in Ballycullane, County Wexford.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Controlled Coal Price (Wexford).
The controlled price of coal in Ballycullane, County Wexford, is, in accordance with the Coal (Maximum Prices) Order, 1951, the price ruling there during the week ended 4th August, 1951, increased or reduced by the amount of any subsequent variation in the specified price for the specified port area from which supplies are drawn to Ballycullane. I understand that supplies of coal for Ballycullane are normally drawn from the Borough of Wexford and an increase of £1 per ton in the fixed price of coal in the Borough of Wexford has been permitted with effect from the 5th September, 1951.
I might mention that I am arranging to investigate the prices actually being charged in Ballycullane currently and in recent months.
Is the Minister aware of the fact that I have been trying for the last two months to find out from his Department what is the actual price per ton for coal in Ballycullane? Will the Minister now tell me in pounds, shillings and pence what the people in Ballycullane are expected to pay for a ton of coal?
I am fully aware of the fact that the regulating of coal prices is quite unsatisfactory. That is not merely a problem for this country, but for all countries. I may inform the Deputy that there is to be a conference under the auspices of O.E.E.C. to consider suggestions for dealing with the matter. We are getting coal at widely different prices from widely different sources and, if these prices are to be properly married and an effective system of control operated, we will have to do something more than have price fixing.
I can see all the difficulties in that respect. The Minister, however, must appreciate the fact that there is the possibility in Ballycullane, or in any other town or village in Ireland, of people being undercharged or overcharged. In fact, the position is that nobody knows what the price of coal is there.
The price fixed is £1 more than the price in Wexford.
Could the Minister say what that price is?
I could, if I got notice.
I take it the Minister recognises that the present position is that, in fact, there is only a theoretical marriage so far as imported coal prices are concerned. British coal comes and is sold as British coal without any admixture of American coal. A person may, therefore, import British coal and sell it at American prices if the price of American coal is greater and more advantageous to him.
On the other hand, he may import American coal and sell it at the British price.
Bearing in mind the possibility that the marriage of prices may reveal very considerable irregularities to the disadvantage of consumers, would the Minister undertake to examine the matter further so as to ensure that the consumer is not unfairly exploited by people selling coal at prices which they are not justified in charging, having regard to the import price of that coal?
The only effective way of marrying different prices of coal is to have a single importing agency. There is the danger that if we try to work on that basis we may experience certain disadvantages. The position is not quite as simple as the Deputy suggests, but it is being examined.