asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport if he is aware that one-and-a-half slices of brown bread costs eight pence at Shannon Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Bread Price.
12.
The correct price of a portion of one-and-a-half slices of brown bread at Shannon Airport is four pence. I have been informed by Aer Rianta that occasions may have recently arisen when a price of eight pence, which is the appropriate price for a double portion, may have been inadvertently charged for a single portion. The inadvertence is regretted and has been rectified.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Has the price doubled since?
Before the Deputy's party left office.
Could the Minister tell me the dates on which this irregularity occurred since he has said there is an increase?
Up to about mid-May, 1977, the self-service restaurant at Shannon sold portions of bread, consisting of one-and-a-half slices of brown bread and one-and-a-half slices of white bread at eight pence. I would assume that at that point——
That is the point I am worried about.
——they were no longer controlled. Up to December, 1975, the procedure for processing applications for increases in restaurant prices at airports was in accordance with the usual administrative arrangements. Applications for price increases were first processed by the Department before being sent to the National Prices Commission for approval and sanction of the then Minister for Industry and Commerce. However, in that year an exemption from price control was granted to Aer Rianta restaurants by the Department of Finance and I would assume that it was after that that the problem arose.
That is not the question I asked. I am asking now for the dates. I tell the Minister that the date was 2nd September, 1977.
That was the date when the Deputy discovered it.
That is the point I have made.
If the Deputy had been as assiduous in looking for increased prices prior to this Government coming into office he could have discovered it then.
Can I take it from the Minister's reply that anybody who was overcharged can apply to Aer Lingus for a refund?
(Interruptions.)
Will it be possible to prove who was overcharged?
We are not going to have a discussion on the sliced pan now.