asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he will remove the restrictions on prices payable by licensed millers for oats in view of the acute shortage of oatmeal.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Prices for Oats.
I do not consider it desirable to make any alteration in the prices fixed for oats purchased during the current cereal year.
Is the Minister in a position to say now whether there will be an increased price for oats in the coming year? Is the Minister aware that at this moment there is not a grain of oatmeal or flakemeal to be got for any human creature in this country, while oats are being fed to cattle because the person who is buying them for cattle can afford to pay 24/- a cwt. for them, and the licensed oatmeal miller is not allowed to pay more than 10/9, with the result that children are going without food, and there is a comparative abundance of oats available for cattle and pigs? That is daft.
I can only pick one query in the Deputy's statement. With regard to the price for the coming year, I think an announcement will be made in the near future.
The Minister thinks nothing can be done between now and the next harvest to get any oats converted into flakemeal?
There are no oats there.
There are, for those who will pay 24/- a cwt. to feed pigs and cattle, but there is not a grain for children.