asked the Minister for Agriculture the number of licences issued in respect of the importation of onions, the names and addresses of each licence-holder, and the amount permitted to be imported by each licensee.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Onion Import Licences.
12.
It is not the practice to give the names and addresses of persons or firms to whom import licences are issued and the quota allotted in each case. For the Deputy's information I may state that 24 licences were issued authorising the importation of 259 tons of onions. The licences were issued to persons or firms who imported onions during the "open period" of 1960, 1961 and 1962, i.e. the period when any person or firm could import onions without restriction as to quantity. The quota allotted in each case was related to the quantity imported in these three years. So as not to interfere with the marketing of the home crop the onions had to be imported not later than 14th July, 1962.
Will the Minister indicate how many of these 24 licence-holders are living in Dublin?
I cannot reply to that question. Since licences are issued on the basis of imports by the individual or concern during the years 1960, 1961 and 1962, it would not make any difference where the licensee is living.
13.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is aware that merchants in the city of Dublin who hold importation licences in respect of onions are demanding excessive profits from merchants in rural Ireland who are denied the right to import their required supply; and that this trade is becoming a racket; and what steps he proposes to take to remedy the matter.
I would refer the Deputy to the replies which I gave to Questions by Deputies Lalor and Ryan, on 12th July. Irish onions are now coming on the market in quantity and merchants in rural areas should have no difficulty in obtaining supplies from home sources.
That may be so, Sir, but my information is that a bag of onions can be left on the quays in Dublin for 20/- but that the rural merchants are being mulcted by the Dublin merchants in 50/- a bag and yet the rural merchants are not allowed import the quantities requested by them? It is a racket.
There is no way of protecting the home grower except by the practice that has been followed down the years. If onions have to be imported because of circumstances such as those which arose here this year, I think it is fair to say that any merchant, whether he lives in the country or the city, who imported onions in the open period over the past three years or in any one of those years, should be permitted to get his fair share of whatever quantity of onions are imported. I do not know of any other way in which you can maintain public policy, and, at the same time, provide for supplying the market in exceptional circumstances such as these.
A merchant in Donegal who wants onions must come to a merchant in Dublin to buy them. The Donegal merchant will not be allowed a permit to import them. Yet the Minister issues a permit to the Dublin merchant selling them to the rural merchant.
If the merchant in Donegal did not import any onions during the years 1960, 1961 and 1962, when he was free to import them, how could he claim the right to get an import licence?
He was not "in the know".
If the Department were to proceed to issue licences on that basis, anyone in the country could claim a right to a licence.
Is there no obligation on us, if we license the import of onions, to restrict people from buying onions at 20/- a bag and selling them to merchants in rural Ireland at 50/- a bag? Surely there is something wrong there?
That is private enterprise.
It is not. It is a socialistic monopoly breaking down.
(Interruptions.)
Is it not admitted by everybody dealing with this question that a control of this nature will naturally at some time or other probably result in those to whom licences are issued exploiting the situation? I am prepared to admit that is so. It does not happen very often. Even if it does sometimes happen, I do not know of any means by which we can deal with it.
I suggest the Minister might consider against next year providing that the average price of imported onions be ascertained and that a condition of receiving a licence to import onions during that short period would be that the importer would make them available at 10/- a bag or 8/- a bag over and above the cost.
If you look at the market price for onions from day to day and if you look at the prices from the different countries, you will see it would be impossible to determine over a period the price at which these people to whom licences are issued should make the onions available.
Will the Minister ask his officials the names of the people who overcharged for onions?
We cannot keep on onions all day.
All we know is what we read, see and hear.
Would the Minister consider reviewing the issue of licences next year?
I know of no system fairer than the one we have devised. If the merchant from Donegal——
Or Cavan.
——decides to import onions during the open period, he will be considered next year.
With the same quota?
Over an average of three years.