Bhí sé suimiúil bheith im shuí sa taobh seo den Teach aréir agus bheith ag éisteacht leis na Teachtaí Desmond agus O'Toole ag cur síos ar an gceist seo. Bheadh sé an-ghreannmhar, dá mba údar grinn é, bheith ag éisteacht leis na focail a bhí á rá acu faoi na praghsanna a hardaí ó tháinig Fianna Fáil i gcumhacht, ach níor chualamar mórán i rith an achair ar fad faoi na praghsanna a híslíodh go dtí gur éirigh an tAire é féin le labhairt linn i lár na hoíche.
Tá rud amháin déanta ag Fianna Fáil a thaispeánann go dtuigeann siad an tábhacht mhór atá le ceannsú praghsanna agus leis an ráta boillsciú a ísliú, agus sin gur shocruigh an Rialtas gur ball den Rialtas a bheadh i gceannas feasta ar phraghsanna agus ar cheannsú praghsanna agus gur shocraíodar gurb é an tAire sa Roinn Tionscail, Tráchtála agus Fuinnimh a mbeadh an cumhacht sin aige.
Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil sé andeacair ag na Teachtaí atá os mo chomhair amach an t-athrú a thárla agus atá tárluithe ó Mhí Iúil a thógái ach molaimse dhóibh gur cóir é a thógáil.
I rise here tonight to support the amendment in the name of the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy. He stated himself here last night that the Fianna Fáil manifesto was now becoming the most quoted document since the Bible. There is another document in existence I think —maybe it has gone out of existence now for reasons which the Deputies opposite will realise—which I would like to refer to at the outset. That document is a rather infamous one which was brought out before the 1973 General Election. It was the 14-point programme presented by the Coalition, as they were at that time and the Coalition Government as they became, consisting of 14 points which they felt would help to bring about changes in our country. It was entitled There is an Alternative. Indeed, as we know, looking back with hindsight, there was an alternative to the prosperity and stability that this country had been experiencing for several years under a Fianna Fáil Government. In relation to prices this document stated that the immediate economic aim of the new Government would be to stabilise prices, halt redundancies and reduce unemployment under a programme of planned economic development. The document went on to say that it was essential to control prices if these important aims were to be realised, and that therefore the Government would introduce strict price control. These statements were believed at the time by a significant number of the Irish people. Of the 14 points in that programme the one which helped most perhaps to bring about a change of Government was the one on prices and price control. It made the greatest impact on all of us and it was a pledge which was sadly forgotten in the four-and-a-half years of Coalition Government. We discovered as we went into the last six months of the Coalition reign that a certain degree of fatalism had set in in the minds of Irish people: they felt there was nothing the Government of the time could do to try to control prices. This was right at the time, because the Coalition Government did not make any significant effort in this regard. Sad to say, some members of the public got the impression that any alternative to the Coalition Government would achieve relatively the same results as that Government had up to then.
Last night Deputy Barry Desmond referred to the excellent work which has been undertaken by the National Prices Commission. Here tonight on behalf of the people of this country I would like to take this opportunity of expressing our sincere appreciation for the devoted service which has been given by the National Prices Commission since their establishment by a Fianna Fáil Government in 1971. The volume of work they have undertaken and which goes through their hands is evident from the very many pages of detailed study and report they present to the Minister each month. The reports themselves are a very valuable guide to many aspects of price control and economic trends. I am speaking for all of the Irish people when I say we are deeply indebted to them for their excellent work.
The NPC are an independent body. They comprise representatives of industry, of trade unions and of the consumers. They can make any recommendation they wish on a price increase, which must go to them before it is approved or even considered by the Minister, and the NPC have it at their disposal to ensure that their recommendation is not only an independent one but one which is well researched and based on concrete evidence. They have resources to help them to ensure that the cost increases claimed by the manufacturer have actually occurred and that therefore the increase in price which the manufacturer is looking for is justified. The commission have not only a large consultancy unit of their own but also the power and money to engage independent consultants if they feel that their own substantial consultancy unit is insufficient for the type of work and detailed study which they wish to do before making a recommendation to the Minister.
A criticism which has probably frequently been made—and has been void—is that the Minister of the day acts merely as a rubber stamp accepting recommendations of the NPC for price increases. I would like to avail of this opportunity to assure not only the House but also the members of the public at large that since assuming office early in July last year this Government have taken all possible steps to ensure that only a minimum of price increases has been passed on to the consumer. This has meant that all recommendations for price increases by the NPC have been under stringent examination and control by the Minister himself. That is why I say that the commitment of the Fianna Fáil Government to stabilising and controlling prices was brought a step further when the Government insisted that we revert to the pre-1973 position in that a member of the Government would be directly responsible for all price control.
Deputy O'Toole was here last night when the Minister spoke, and, as he knows now, there were quite a significant number of price increases awaiting the Minister's approval which had been shelved by my predecessor.
