asked the Minister for Supplies why the permit to use his motor lorry and the allowance of petrol made to Mr. Michael Bourke, Cappaduff, Tourmakeady, County Mayo, have been withdrawn; if he is aware that Mr. Bourke is one of the chief distributors of flour and other foods in the district in which he lives, and that it is essential that he should have the use of his lorry to draw goods from the railway; and whether he will restore to Mr. Bourke his permit and petrol allowance.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Motor Lorry Permits.
The trader in this case is a retail merchant and local egg collector. Owing to the contraction of petrol supplies permits for the use of motor vehicles for retail delivery cannot now be granted. In the case of the egg trade permits can be granted only to those who are registered wholesale egg dealers. The collection of goods from railhead or wholesale suppliers by retail shopkeepers should, in present circumstances, be arranged with the railway company or licensed hauliers, if horse transport is not suitable. I understand there is a weekly railway road service available for the delivery of goods from the railway to Tourmakeady. In the circumstances, I regret it is not possible to restore Mr. Bourke's permit and petrol allowance.
Is the Minister aware that all the flour and other foodstuffs of an entire district are distributed by this man, and that he has informed the Department of Supplies that he will open a subsidiary shop if he is allowed to cart the goods from the station to that shop; that the persons who have got licences and are registered with him for the purchase of tea and sugar now cannot get their tea and sugar, leaving out of the question the fact that the eggs in the area cannot be collected? I know the Minister himself knows nothing about the matter, but will he make representations to the Department of Supplies in order that the matter will be further considered?
I think the Minister has got a fairly full report on the whole position, but I will ask him to look further into it.
When I say the Minister knows nothing about it, I mean that qua Minister for Agriculture he could not know anything about supplies.
I know there was no offence meant.
asked the Minister for Supplies why the permit to use his motor lorry and the allowance of petrol made to Mr. Malone, Kinury, Killewalla, Westport, County Mayo, have been withdrawn; if he is aware that Mr. Malone is the chief distributor of flour and other foodstuffs in the district in which he lives, and that it is essential that he should have the use of his lorry to draw goods from the railway; and whether he will restore to Mr. Malone his permit and his petrol allowance.
The trader in this case is a retail merchant and local egg collector. Owing to the contraction of petrol supplies permits for the use of motor vehicles for retail delivery cannot now be granted. In the case of the egg trade, permits can be granted only to those who are registered wholesale egg dealers. The collection of goods from railhead or wholesale suppliers by retail shopkeepers should, in present circumstances, be arranged with the railway company or licensed hauliers, if horse transport is not suitable. I understand there is a daily railway road service available for the delivery of goods from the railway to Killewalla. In the circumstances, I regret it is not possible to restore Mr. Malone's permit and petrol allowance.
Again I must ask the Minister does it appear on the file that the result of these two decisions is to leave a large area without food?
No.
It is so. Is the Minister aware that, while persons in mountainy and out-of-the-way districts are being cut off from petrol supplies, a full supply is being allowed to everybody in the local towns? In other words, the persons in the towns are not to suffer, even though they are beside the railway station, and the persons in the remote districts are to starve.