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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 30 Jan 1952

Vol. 129 No. 1

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Food Supplies for Islanders.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if, in view of the serious and prolonged hardship suffered by the people in the islands off our coasts during the winter gales, he will consider the setting up of a helicopter service for the purpose of delivering essential food supplies and, if necessary, consult the Department of Defence with a view to obtaining the co-operation of the Air Corps in this matter.

As I shall be indicating to-day in reply to other questions in Dáil Éireann, emergency measures to relieve the people in the islands off our coasts will be taken if and when the circumstances so require. The information at my disposal does not indicate that relief measures could be provided with certainty under all conditions by a helicopter service and, for this reason as well as others, I am not at present prepared to consider the setting up of such a service as suggested by the Deputy.

Will the Minister consider the matter in conjunction with Aer Lingus as well? Will the Minister not consider that a helicopter should be kept both for the purposes of Aer Lingus and for the relief of islands in case of emergency?

My information is that the weather conditions which would cut off these islands from the mainland would be unsafe for the operation of a helicopter.

Will the Minister not consider keeping a helicopter in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture to see if more fishing poachers could be caught?

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if, in view of the annual crises on Tory Island, County Donegal, through its inhabitants being stormbound owing to inclement weather, he will arrange with the National Life Boat Institution for the relief of the island on such occasions.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will permit the traders on Tory Island, County Donegal, to obtain, during the winter months, a three-months' supply of rationed foodstuffs in place of the present monthly supply in order that the islanders may have sufficient supplies of tea, sugar, flour, butter and oil to tide them over periods of protracted storm.

I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 34 and 35 together.

I am aware that during the winter season there are periods when Tory Island is stormbound and I am also aware that one such period occurred during the present winter from mid-December to the 12th of the present month. I have had no evidence that on this recent occasion there was a serious shortage of essential supplies which would require the taking of special emergency measures. Such emergency measures will, however, be taken if ever the necessity for them should arise and whatever assistance may be required will be sought from any authority or institution in a position to provide it. I am prepared to authorise the wholesale merchants concerned to make advance deliveries of tea, sugar, flour and butter to the traders on Tory Island so that there may be available a reasonable reserve of tea, sugar, flour and butter to ensure the maintenance of rations during periods when the island is isolated from the mainland.

Oil is not now rationed and no authorisation is required for the acquisition of a reserve supply.

I note that the Minister states that the fact that this island was isolated for one month was not sufficient to create a crisis. Would he state what period of time would be sufficient to create a crisis?

What I said was that I have no evidence that on this occasion, that is, the period between December last and the 12th of this month, there was a scarcity of these rationed goods on the island, and that against the possibility of such a scarcity I am prepared to arrange for the allocation to traders on the island of reserve stocks. In the case of nonrationed goods, of course, the traders can arrange that for themselves.

Owing to the poverty and financial position of the islanders and the shopkeepers there, is it not unfair to ask them to lay in a three-months' stock? I can assure the Minister that Deputy Breslin and I would not have put down these questions were we not aware of the fact that hardships do exist on the island.

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