asked the Minister for Supplies whether he is making any plans to convert potatoes into chipped potatoes to be supplied to urban populations for consumption at home in the coming year.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Chipped Potatoes.
The answer is in the negative.
Why? Is it not true that there is going to be a shortage of cooked food for the people in urban areas in the winter and that it is common knowledge that chipped potatoes actually relieved the food shortage in England? Is it not true that the potato friers in this country cannot get oil? Is it not true that you are exporting a surplus of factory butter which could be used for this purpose and why do you not make arrangements so to use it now? If you do not, the factory butter will be exported and later on, when you want to fry potatoes for the poor, you will not have any with which to fry them.
The Deputy is asking a whole lot of questions. There is no reference to those questions on the Order Paper.
Will you not make arrangements so that you can convert the potatoes into chipped potatoes next autumn for the purpose I have indicated in my question?
It is not necessary.
The Minister for Agriculture says it is not necessary. I give up.