asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he has made any representations to Dublin Corporation about the maintenance and improvement of the Dublin fruit and vegetable market; if he has considered taking over control of the market in the interests of growers; and if he will make a statement on the adequacy of the general arrangements for the distribution of fresh fruit and vegetables in the Dublin area.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Fruit Market.
73.
The answer to the first two parts of the question is in the negative.
As regards the third part, I have no function in this matter which is one for consideration by the growers and wholesalers who use the Dublin fruit and vegetable market and the Dublin Corporation.
Is the Minister aware there are not adequate sanitary facilities in this market, that there is not a place for people to wash their hands in who have to handle fruit which will be eaten afterwards? There is acute traffic congestion which causes a lot of delay. Would the Minister, therefore, consider that it would be much more appropriate that he should be responsible for conditions there rather than Dublin Corporation?
As I have told the Deputy, the question of the running of the current affairs of the market is a matter for Dublin Corporation. This is as it always has been. I would remind the Deputy that traffic congestion applies throughout the city. On the other hand, groups like supermarkets are buying through their own sources and this tends somewhat to reduce congestion within the market. I know arrangements in the market have given cause for complaint from time to time. As far as I know no major group has made any particular complaint about this.
Is the Minister aware that this building is virtually unchanged since 1894? Is he further aware that the commercial horticulturalists are very concerned about this matter.
Some of them are.