asked the Minister for Defence what is the price of beef and mutton per pound supplied to the Dublin Command, and also the price of meat per pound, including cost of delivery, supplied by the Dublin Command to the barracks in the Midlands; whether tenders were invited by advertisement, so as to give an opportunity to the local victuallers of competing, and whether it is the intention of the Minister to continue to supply all barracks in the Midlands from the Dublin Command, and further to ask if he can state the amount of money saved on the meat supply since the arrangements were made.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - MILITARY MEAT CONTRACTS.
SEAN O LAIDHIN
The cost of beef supplied from the Army Abbatoir is between 7d. and 8d. per pound, and the cost of mutton between 1s. and 1s. 1d. per pound. Its delivery at Mullingar barracks, which is the only barracks in the Midlands supplied, is about ½d. per pound.
Tenders were invited by advertisement for supplies to that barracks and were received, but as the Quartermaster-General was satisfied that tendering was not free and unrestricted, no tender was accepted, and he considered it advisable for the time being to supply meat from the Army Abbatoir. Money is not being saved at the moment by this arrangement.
Is the Minister aware that in the Mullingar Mental Hospital tenders have been received for meat at 5d. per lb., and that there would be more employment by keeping the contract locally, and that owing to what has happened in this matter in Mullingar three men have lost their employment. That is why I raised the matter.
It will be understood that it is absolutely necessary that there should be competitive tenders for supplies, or that tendering for supplies should be free and unrestricted. In the case of Mullingar it was not.
Can the Minister say why tenders for these supplies are not advertised for in the provincial papers?
I understood that they were, but I will have enquiries made. At any rate they were fully advertised in the daily press, which will reach all the tradesmen who are likely to tender.