asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state whether, concurrently with the examination of the import prices of coal by a Special Committee, he proposes to send a request to the Prices Commission asking them to keep under review and investigation whether unreasonably high retail prices for coal are being charged throughout the Saorstát.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Coal Prices.
I do not at present propose to refer this matter to the Prices Commission for investigation; but this action will be taken if at any time I am satisfied that circumstances warrant that course.
Is the Minister aware that the export price of coal from Great Britain to the Free State in February of this year was only something less than 2/- above the price in February of last year, and that the import price of coal for the month of February into the Free State was only 4/- over the import price of ordinary household coal as compared with last year. Taking the price of bellmen's coal as a criterion, the cost of bellmen's coal in February this year is 7/- above what the price was last year. If the Minister does not consider it necessary to get the Prices Commission to investigate the matter, will he say what is the reason for the great increase in the price charged for coal here when he takes into consideration the nature of the increase in the case of import prices of coal?
That is really a separate question. In any event, this Special Committee is being established to look after coal prices and all questions relating to supply and quality. Therefore, I think we should let the Committee get to work before taking the matter out of their hands again.
Does the Minister know that this Special Committee is being set up to investigate and to keep a watch and a check on the export prices of coal from Great Britain?
No. It also has the function of hearing and dealing with any complaints that may be referred to it by the retailers or the consumers of coal in this country.
In regard to the hearing of complaints, the Minister's published statement refers entirely to the quality and import price of coal. When the Minister is setting up a committee to investigate that, and when the realises that the price of the coal that he is setting up the committee to examine, is only something less than 2/- higher in February this year than it was in February last year, does he not consider that great watchfulness is required in regard to the additional price charged for coal once it gets into the Free State? Does he not recognise how necessary that is, particularly when it is borne in mind that following a 2/- rise in the export price from Great Britain there is a rise of 7/- in the price of the coal that is sold here to a particular class. That, in itself, is indicative of the fact that the increased price charged to other people is still more. Will the Minister say why he is so concerned to watch the rise of the price from the British side and not concerned at all to watch the unnecessary rise in the price of coal once it has come in here?
The committee, as I have already explained to the Deputy and as I propose to explain again in answer to the next question, has a dual function: one is the function which it will carry out in conjunction with the representatives of the British collieries relating to the import prices of supply and quality; and the other is the function which it will exercise alone when it will deal with any complaints that may be addressed to it by the buyers of coal in this country concerning price or quality.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state whether he proposes to set up a committee consisting of representatives of coal consumers, coal merchants, and direct importers of coal to deal with any aspect of the prices and the quality of imported coal; and, if so, if he will state the number of members of the committee, and the number of these representing (1) the consumers, (2) the merchants, and (3) the direct importers, and the manner in which representatives of (1) the consumers, (2) the merchants, and (3) the direct importers will be selected, and the terms of reference of the committee; and if he will state whether it is the intention of the committee to publish periodical reports.
It is proposed in connection with the recent agreement made between the Saorstát Government and the British Government relating to trade between this country and the United Kingdom that the price of United Kingdom coals shall be the subject of examination and settlement by representatives of the merchants, direct importers, and consumers in the Saorstát and of the British collieries supplying the Saorstát market. One representative of each of these interests has been appointed on the Saorstát side, and it is proposed, in addition, that these three Saorstát representatives should act as a committee to receive and examine complaints on the part of buyers and users of coal in the Saorstát regarding price, quality, and availability of supplies of coal. The function of the committee would be to report to my Department as to whether such complaints are well founded. The representatives on the Saorstat's side have been selected by me. It is not contemplated that periodical reports should be published.
Is the Minister aware that the statement issued from his Department and published in the newspapers on the 19th March states that these three gentlemen will also act as a committee to investigate any complaints which may be made as regards the quality, import prices or supplies of coal. Am I to understand from his statement now that the terms of reference of that committee have been extended, and that the committee will have power to investigate whether the prices that are charged to consumers of coal here in relation to the import prices of coal are reasonable?
It will have the obligation of considering any complaints of that kind that may be addressed to it.
And that, in so far as objections are taken by people to the prices that they are being asked to pay for coal now, these objections should be represented to this committee in future, and not to the Prices Commission?
The only power that there is for taking action for the regulation of prices is under the Control of Prices Act. If it appears from the complaints received from the committee that it is evident that there is a necessity to bring the machinery of that Act into operation, then the necessary steps to that end will be taken; but this special committee will have no power to fix or regulate coal prices. The only power to take action of that kind is that provided in the Control of Prices Act.
So that the Minister's statement that this committee was set up to keep a check and a watch on export prices is a pure blind? Surely the Minister does not consider that a committee of three, one being a representative of the importers, another a representative of gas works, and the third the Chairman of the Prices Commission, is a suitable committee to investigate whether the importers of coal into this country are making excessive profits on the coal delivered to the people here?
The Controller of Prices is in existence, and there is a statutory function imposed on him to investigate prices whenever a complaint is made to him.
Is not the Controller of Prices sitting down in an abnormal situation in regard to coal profits at the present time?
The Controller of Prices acts whenever a complaint is made to him and he did act when complaints were made to him. I think myself that those who are trying to make political propaganda out of coal prices have their hypocrisy demonstrated by the fact that they have failed to put forward a single case for investigation by the Controller of Prices.
Will the Minister deny that the export price of coal from Great Britain in February this year was only something less than 2/- above the export price for British coal to this country in February of this year, while at the same time the bellmen to-day are paying 7/- a ton more for their coal—that is in February of this year—than they were paying in February of last year, and that that increase goes on to the people who buy their coal in small quantities from the bellmen?
I am satisfied that the Deputy wants to continue talking about the matter so as to avoid taking the steps that are open to him to take, namely, to make a complaint and have the matter fully investigated.
Will the Minister say if we are to go to the new committee or to the Prices Commission with our complaints?
The machinery of the Prices Commission is there.