Peter Barry
Question:2 Mr. Barry asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if Ireland has been asked to assist in helping to alleviate the food shortages in the Soviet Union.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Soviet Union Food Shortages.
The European Community is at present considering the question of the provision of humanitarian assistance to the Soviet Union, particularly in the larger cities, where the prospect of severe shortages of foodstuffs, medicines and other basic necessities of life looms large this winter.
This was discussed in Brussels this week by the General Affairs Council. The Council decided as a matter of urgency to look at the questions of supplying and distributing food aid in particular with a view to further consideration by the December European Council. Ireland strongly supported this decision.
A decision on the Community's response will be made at the meeting of Heads of State and Government at the European Council in Rome on 14 December.
No separate request has been made to Ireland by the Soviet authorities.
Reports from some sources suggest that the problem is not the shortage of food but rather the infrastructure through which the food is distributed and the considerable amount of hoarding which is going on. If this is so, can the Minister say if the European Community — who are probably in a better position than Ireland to help — can do anything that would help remove the bottlenecks in the distribution system? I presume they cannot do anything in regard to the hoarding of food but can they undertake to give food? I think this would be of help to President Gorbachev who could advise the Russian people to release the food which is being hoarded, on the basis that the European Community is willing to give as much food as is necessary.
Deputy Barry's perception of the situation is correct. Undoubtedly food is short in the Soviet Union. They had a very good harvest but regrettably the product of that harvest is not finding its way to the shops. There is supposed to be a thriving black economy in existence in the Soviet Union. Help is required there. The Deputy will remember that at the last Summit in Dublin in June it was agreed by the Heads of State and by Government that efforts would be made to see what help could be given to the Soviet Union to try to help them economically so that they could deal with the political problems which have recently developed there. That is still our intention.
As the Deputy knows, the President of the Commission, Jacques Delors, was invited to submit proposals to the next Summit which will be held in Rome next week. We had a preview of the President's proposals at the General Affairs Council Meeting which was held the day before yesterday. The President will be making a number of suggestions to help in the immediate short term and also in the long term. Very major decisions will have to be made because of the amounts to be involved. The Deputy will, perhaps, understand this more than many others because he was involved in this area for a considerable period.
There is an immediate problem in regard to emergency supplies such as medicine. As Deputy Barry has pointed out, we have to overcome the practical problem of the inadequacies of the distribution system. We all want to help but will do so only on the condition that the help we give is conveyed to the needy and not to the black marketeers who will enrich their coffers further. We have been heartened by the recent efforts of the German Government who have released food supplies from Berlin. They set up their own distribution system and were able to assure us no later than the day before yesterday of its effectiveness. This is being looked at. As I have said, hard proposals will be put forward for consideration by the Heads of State and by Government at the meeting in Rome on 14 December.
I do not wish to pursue this matter because the Community is probably pursuing the right line. I want to repeat that if it is perceived that hoarding is part of the problem then people will hoard because they think there will be a shortage in the future. If that fear of shortage in the future could be removed from their minds, the hoarded stocks might be released, which would be of some help.
I have no quarrel whatsoever with Deputy Barry's view with regard to hoarding. I totally support the thought behind it. It will be a major element to be contended with so that we can ensure success. Even in this country when we ran short of petrol people started hoarding despite all the advice.
I am aware of that.
Of course Deputy Barry had that responsibility at the time. It is a human instinct. The shelves in the shops are totally empty. A parliamentary delegation was there last week and I have spoken to some of the members. I was there myself two or three weeks ago. It is a difficult situation but one we will have to address.