asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state the quantities sold to the public and the prices paid by the public for potatoes at the producer-consumer market, Dublin, in the week May 1st to May 6th, 1950.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Price of Potatoes in Dublin.
As the Dublin Producer-Consumer Market is not under my control, I am not in a position to give the information requested. The Deputy is no doubt aware that advertisements have been inserted in the Dublin newspapers by the market authorities offering potatoes at 2/3 per stone.
Is it not a fact that the Minister has stated here that potatoes were available in Dublin at 2/3 per stone? I have asked the Minister to tell us how much at 2/3 per stone were sold by the producer-consumer market? Is the Minister aware that he now says he has no control and does not know, but has made a statement here which is completely misleading and untrue?
The Deputy is quite mistaken in what the Minister has replied. What the Minister has replied is:—
"As the Dublin Producer-Consumer Market is not under my control, I am not in a position to give the information requested."
I have the information but there is a lot of information I have which it is not proper I should give in reply to a parliamentary question because I have not received the information for that purpose. I can reassure the Deputy that the Dublin Producer-Consumer Market is in a position to supply any quantity of potatoes that they wish to supply at 2/3 per stone.
Is the Minister prepared to say that, to his own knowledge, he knows the producer-consumer market has been able to supply Dublin with approximately 50 per cent. of its requirements?
I am in a position to say that the Dublin Producer-Consumer Market has been in a position to supply any quantities of potatoes they were asked for by retail consumers at 2/3 per stone; that they are now in a position to supply them at that figure and that they will continue to be in a position to do so.