asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will restore the price control of retail milk, both loose and bottled, in Limerick City, having regard to the hardship and anomalies caused by his removal of such control in January, 1952.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Prices of Milk in Limerick.
The retail prices for milk in Limerick were recently investigated by my Department and investigation will be repeated from time to time. The retail prices of milk in Limerick were decontrolled on January 12th, 1952, on the recommendation of the Prices Advisory Body. It is not at present intended to restore control.
Is the Minister aware that arising from decontrol in January the price of bottled milk in Limerick was raised to 4½d. per pint as against 4d. in Cork, and of loose milk to 4d. as against 3¾d. in Dublin, and that the producers in Limerick jumped the price of milk by 5d. per gallon on decontrol which made it 2/2 as compared with 2/0½ in Dublin?
The prices in Limerick do not appear to be out of line with the prices in all other areas outside Dublin and Cork. The position in that regard was that owing to control the supply of milk was drying up in many parts of the country and the recommendation of the Prices Advisory Body was based on the assumption that some change would have to be made if the supply of liquid milk was to be kept up.
Can the Minister justify these prices in Limerick, which is the centre of a dairying county?