asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is aware that Mr. William Quigley, Kilbready, Killenaule, Thurles, has, with three other members of his family, usually spent two months cutting and saving turf every year at a bog which is nearly four miles from his home, involving absence from home from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily; that, in order to be able to do this work this year, he has applied for an extra allowance of bread and that this has been refused; that Mr. Quigley cannot hope to carry out the work without extra bread, as it is quite impossible to prepare meals on the bog; and if, in view of the imperative necessity for cutting all the turf possible this year, he will favourably reconsider the application and grant the necessary additional allowance to Mr. Quigley.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Turf Worker's Ration.
I would refer the Deputy to the reply given by me to a Dáil question on the 16th April last in which I stated that turf workers who are employed by farmers and who reside at least two miles from their place of employment are granted extra rations of bread, provided they receive no meals from their employer and are obliged to take bread meals with them to their work. Turf workers employed by county councils and by industrial concerns are also eligible for the extra allowances. If Mr. Quigley comes within either of the foregoing categories I will be prepared to reconsider his application. If Mr. Quigley does not come within these categories his application for an extra allowance cannot be granted.
This man is a small farmer, working with his family and taking his family out to the bog to cut turf and, in view of the very serious problem that it is apparent will arise over fuel during the coming winter, does the Minister not think that persons of this particular type should be helped to do their part in providing fuel?
I should like to give an extra ration of bread to everybody, but the supply position does not permit a supplementary ration scheme for self-employed persons.
Does the Minister not realise that the supply position will be very much worse if we are substantially short of fuel for cooking purposes in the winter?
I am talking about wheat supplies. We could not extend the supplementary ration scheme now without reducing the general ration.
Does the Minister not realise that there are families of this kind who will be prevented from cutting turf, as they will not be able to bring meals to the bog and will not be able to cook meals on the bog?
Is the Minister aware that meals are always cooked in bogs?
I would be grateful if Deputy O'Brien——
O Briain, má'sé do thoil é.
I would be grateful if Deputy O Briain or the Minister would let some of the people in Tipperary know how they are to provide for themselves and their families when cutting turf five or six miles in the bog without an additional ration of bread?