asked the Minister for Supplies if he will state why Mr. J. Flanagan, Mary Street, Edenderry, Offaly, was refused an allocation of petrol to enable him to do haulage work for the Offaly County Council; and why Córas Iompair Éireann and certain private lorry owners in the same area were given unlimited supplies of petrol for doing the same class of work for the same county council and the Turf Development Board.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Petrol Allocation.
Mr. J. Flanagan, Edenderry, applied on 14th February, 1945, for a petrol allowance to carry stones and gravel for the Offaly County Council in connection with the construction of a bog road. Petrol allowances for work on bog roads are not given direct to individual hauliers; they are given in bulk to county surveyors and the Turf Development Board. Mr. Flanagan's application was accordingly refused and he was referred to the county surveyor.
Mr. Flanagan is not a licensed haulier and has no basic allowance for his lorry. Córas Iompair Éireann are licensed hauliers and are entitled to perform haulage work of any kind within the limits of the quantity of petrol made available to them for general purposes. No person or body is given unlimited supplies of petrol for any purpose. I am arranging to have inquiries made arising out of the Deputy's suggestion that private lorry owners other than Mr. Flanagan have been engaged on the work in respect of which his application was made.
Did the Minister learn this, that this is an act of political persecution? Will the Minister inquire further, whether the total allocation of petrol for haulage work in this area is being divided between Córas Iompair Éireann and the Fuehrer of the local Fianna Fáil Party?
There is no question of an allowance of petrol to individual hauliers. For bog-road construction bulk allowances are given to county surveyors and the Turf Board.
Is the local Fuehrer of the Fianna Fáil Party getting petrol?
I do not even know the gentleman.
Is it a fact that, while Mr. Flanagan is no longer allowed to carry on haulage, work of the same kind is being done for the Turf Development Board?
I have explained to the Deputy twice in the course of this short conversation that petrol is not given to individual hauliers for this work: that it is given in bulk to the county surveyors or the Turf Development Board, who make their own arrangements for haulage.
Is the Minister aware that the county surveyor in this case referred him to the Department of Supplies?
I am not so aware.
Will the Minister make further inquiries into the matter?
I think the Deputy should make the inquiries first.