asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state what measures are being taken by Bord na Móna to have the turf on Annamarron Bog distributed to the fuel merchants in Carrickmacross for sale in the South Monaghan area.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Turf Distribution (Carrickmacross).
The fuel requirements of County Monaghan have been under consideration for some time past. Arrangements have been made by which supplies of county council turf, including the turf referred to by the Deputy, will be made available to merchants in Carrickmacross and other Monaghan towns.
Has the Minister any undertaking from the Carrickmacross merchants that they will stock it and offer it in quantities which it is possible for a poor person to bespeak, because, as he is aware, in Castleblayney that difficulty has manifested itself and he has been able to make only temporary arrangements to relieve it?
The Deputy had better give notice of that question.
But these questions have been on the Order Paper for the last two weeks.
I have answered the question that is on the paper to-day.
Will the Minister say, if he is going to make fuel available in Carrickmacross, that it will be possible for the poor people there to buy a cwt. bag of it? Well-off people can buy it in lorry loads, but the poor people in Carrickmacross, Ballybay and Castleblayney cannot get a bag because nobody will sell it retail in those small quantities.
I am aware that the merchants in Carrickmacross will sell it in small quantities to people who require it that way.
I am aware that in Castleblayney and South Monaghan they will not.
Castleblayney is not mentioned in this question—only Carrickmacross.
Will the Minister assure himself that the turf will be available for sale in cwt. lots?
The merchants in Carrickmacross will get the county council turf to which Deputy Mrs. Rice has referred in her question.
My concern is that the poor will be able to get a cwt. bag.