asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he is aware that oats are being bought and sold at markets throughout Ireland at 35/- to 38/- per barrel, while oatmeal millers are unable to secure supplies at the fixed price, and whether he intends to regularise the situation, and, if so, how.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Oatmeal Millers' Difficulty.
I have not received any reports indicating that prices such as those mentioned in the Deputy's question are being paid for oats at local markets. I am aware, however, that breaches of the Emergency Powers (Cereals) Orders have taken place in connection with the sale of oats and other cereals. Action has already been taken against the offenders in a number of such cases.
Is the Minister aware that, in the market at Ballaghaderreen, oats were freely sold at 22/- per cwt. and, in the market at Cavan and in markets along the Border, oats were sold at 18/- per cwt., and, in fact, the oatmeal millers have been quite unable to get any oats at the fixed price, with the result that there is no oatmeal, thus making the flour shortage infinitely more acute because the country people have no oatmeal to fall back upon? Does he propose to do anything in order to bring oats to the oatmeal millers?
Wherever I could get evidence that oats were being sold at more than the fixed price, the oats were requisitioned and taken over at the fixed price.
Where a man has horses and the horses are hungry and he wants oats for them and he cannot buy them at the fixed price, although there is plenty of oats being offered at 15/-, 16/-, 17/-, and 18/- per cwt., what is he to do? Is he to allow the horses to die, or is he to go out and break the law?
If nobody attempted to break the law it would be all right.
Is it the Minister's advice that a law-abiding person, finding himself in that situation, should let the horses die or that he should buy the oats wherever he can get them, or can the Minister tell me of any place where he can get oats at the fixed price?
There is a question down about that.
Will the Minister say what the man is to do?
He should obey the law at any rate.
Then the Minister's advice is that he should let the horses die? I think he is going draft.
Is not the existence of such a black market a proof to the Minister that a proper price was not fixed?
That does not follow.
If the oatmeal-miller cannot get oats for human food, and if it is a fact that the horse-man will pay nearly twice as much for oats, is not that a proof that the Minister has not fixed the price at a proper level?
You might as well say that because certain people are prepared to pay 10/- a lb. for tea, the price fixed for tea is wrong.
Is it not a fact that many animals would be dead to-day if the owners were not prepared to pay more than the fixed price?
If the people themselves stuck to the fixed price it would be all right.
Is not the fact that millers cannot secure supplies at the fixed price a proof that the price is wrong?
It does not prove any such thing.