asked the Minister for Supplies whether, in view of the urgent need of oranges by young children as a health protective food, he will take the necessary measures to take control of any future imports of oranges, and to arrange, in consultation with the medical authorities, for their free distribution to children through hospitals, welfare clinics, schools, etc.

Since 1940 the quantities of oranges imported have been only a fraction of normal supplies and a substantial proportion of the quantities imported has been used for the production of marmalade. Imports of oranges are dependent on the shipping situation and I cannot say when it will be possible to provide further shipping space for them.

In view of the uncertainty of supplies and of the perishable nature of the goods it would not be practicable to introduce any scheme for controlling the distribution of oranges on the lines suggested.

Arising out of the Minister's reply, is he aware that in the City of Dublin at present we have widespread outbreaks of skin diseases, and that oranges are recognised as a preventive or corrective of such diseases; and is he also aware that, due to the high price of oranges that have been imported during this emergency, working-class families have been debarred from getting them and that, as a result, these oranges deteriorated in quality and had to be destroyed or used for the making of jam? Will the Minister take steps to ensure that, in the case of any future imports of oranges, arrangements will be made for their free distribution to children through hospitals, schools, and so on?

The only thing I can say is that if any private or public organisation wishes to purchase these oranges for free distribution, there is nothing to prevent them doing so. However, this is a rather academic question for discussion at the moment, since no oranges are coming in.

Is the Minister not aware that a large number of oranges, which were imported to this country, had to be dumped in the year 1941-42, because they had become bad?

I do not know that, but I know that a very large number of the oranges that arrived here were already bad on their arrival.

They became bad here since the people could not buy them because of their high price, and then they had to be dumped.