asked the Taoiseach what considerations influenced the Government to transfer from the Minister for Industry and Commerce to the Minister for Supplies the powers provided under the Bread (Regulation of Prices) Act, 1939.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Bread (Regulation of Prices) Act—Transfer of Powers.
Under the terms of the Emergency Powers Order, 1939, the Minister for Supplies controls the prices at which supplies essential to the life of the community may be sold. It was considered, accordingly, that the powers provided under the Bread (Regulation of Prices) Act, 1939, should be transferred to the same Minister.
Does the Taoiseach advert to the fact that under the Bread (Regulation of Prices) Act, the price of bread is intended to bear a constant relation to the price of flour and that the result of the transfer of this power from the Minister for Industry and Commerce to the Minister for Supplies was a prompt increase in the price of bread? Does the Taoiseach realise that, or does he realise that there is no discretionary power vested in the Minister under this Act, that it was merely a supervisory power in no way analogous to the price regulating powers which the Minister for Supplies had in regard to other commodities?
I know that the Minister for Supplies has to take cognisance of all the circumstances relating to any particular commodity of which he has to control the price and, therefore, will have to take these other matters with regard to bread into consideration.
But there was no authority under the Bread (Regulation of Prices) Act for the Minister to take other relevant matters into considera tion. His function was to collate the price of bread with the price of flour, to ascertain the price of flour and to declare the price of bread. There was no discretionary function vested in him to examine other relevant matters.
But surely if he is going to control prices effectively, he must take all these matters into account and that discretion is necessary in order that the duties be carried out effectively?
Does the Taoiseach realise that these were special powers under a special Act? They were not general powers under the Emergency Powers Order. They were special powers under the Act to collate the price of bread with the ascertained price of flour, and that was the only function.
The Deputy should read the Act again.
Surely the greater will include the lesser?
The net result was that the price went up one halfpenny a loaf the minute he got his claws on it.