asked the Minister for Finance whether dollars have been allocated since April 1st, 1951, for the purchase of California seedless raisins; and, if so, when and in what quantities.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Purchase of Californian Raisins.
No dollars have been allocated since April 1st, 1951, for the purchase of California seedless raisins. As the trade has been informed, applications for reasonable dollar facilities to purchase American dried fruit are being reviewed and it is expected that an allocation will be made at an early date.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary say, if there is an acute shortage of dollars available for essential trade abroad, on what conceivable grounds can he justify granting the dollars for the purchase of seedless raisins when they are readily obtainable in Spain, Turkey, Greece and throughout the whole Middle East for sterling?
It is not my information that they are. I am informed that they have also to be paid for in hard currency in the countries in the Middle East.
In Greece?
I said in the Middle East.
What do you call Greece —the Middle West? The Parliamentary Secretary is rambling.