asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether in the operation of the bread rationing scheme he will consider granting an extra ration to such persons as deep-sea fishermen who have to be at sea for long periods and who have no alternative food available while at sea.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will consider the advisability of increasing the bread ration for special types of manual workers, the nature of whose work precludes them from obtaining properly cooked meals.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will consider increasing the ration of bread in the case of the miners in the coal mines of Wolfhill, Rossmore, Castlecomer, as these men are unable to work and exist on the present ration; and whether, in view of the severity and importance of their work, he will grant such workers an increased ration of bread.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will increase the bread ration to farm workers and county council workers who usually have their mid-day meal away from their homes, as the ration of one pound per man per day is too small for workmen who have long hours of work, and have to travel long distances to their work.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce is he is aware that the present bread rationing scheme, although very liberal for many homes, is causing great hardship to (i) those engaged as farm labourers; (ii) those engaged in the fishing industry; (iii) builders' labourers, and (iv) county council workers; whether, in view of this, he is prepared to consider the grant of a supplementary allowance of bread to these classes of workers, whose mid-day meal consists of bread and tea; further, if he is aware that men engaged in the fishing industry, who must necessarily work all night, have meals consisting of bread and tea.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he has been informed that the bread and flour ration is entirely inadequate for the sustenance of farmers, fishermen and other workers in Connemara, where bread is the main food of the majority of the people; and if he will state if the ration will be increased to an amount that will satisfy their minimum needs.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 together, all of which relate to supplementary allowances of flour and bread for different categories of workers.

The possibility of differential bread rationing so as to provide a larger ration for workers engaged in laborious manual work was fully considered prior to the announcement of the bread rationing scheme. The practical difficulties of devising a workable system, however, proved very substantial. It is considered that so long as the present standard ration can be maintained a general scheme of supplementary rations is not essential. The present standard ration would have to be reduced if a large number of supplementary rations had to be provided. The granting of a supplementary ration to heavy workers accompanied by a reduction of the basic ration to other members of the community would not result in an increase in the total household supplies of many of these workers. The possibility of providing a limited number of supplementary rations to workers whose conditions of employment cause special difficulty is being considered.

The feasibility of effecting improvements in the rationing scheme, having regard to the supply position, will be kept constantly under review. It was deemed desirable to inaugurate bread rationing with a comparatively simple system and to get that system working before introducing complications.

As regards fishermen, a weekly allowance of 7 lb. of soft bread and 2 lb. of flour is required to be furnished to every member of a crew of a ship in accordance with the provisions of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1906 (Variation of Seamen's Provisions) Order, 1941. In the case of deep sea fishermen, the provisions of this Order apply to crews of trawlers of 25 tons registered tonnage and over. Arrangements have been made under the flour and bread rationing scheme for the issue of the appropriate allowances to members of the crews of such vessels.

Would the Minister say whether fishermen who go out with the tide at 4, 5 or 6 o'clock in the morning, and who return with the tide later in the day, will be included in those who will receive this ration of bread?

They are not included in the seamen's ration.

Will they be included in this special ration when this matter is being considered?

The matter will be considered.

As the question of granting supplementary bread rations has been raised in regard to quite a number of workers in various industries, can the Minister at this stage give any indication as to when such supplementary rations, if they are made available, can be partaken of by the workers to whom they will be made available?

I could not answer that at the moment. The practicability of providing a supplementary ration will depend on its being found possible to limit the number of classes of workers entitled to supplementary allowances. If it would appear to be necessary to grant supplementary rations to any substantial number of workers they would be made available only by a reduction in the basic ration which I think is to be avoided. It will be appreciated that our basic ration is very slightly less than the ration granted to heavy workers in Great Britain where the wheat and bread situation is much better than it is here.

Would the Minister bear in mind the special position of turf workers in Leix and Offaly who are away from their homes and who are not in a position to partake of whatever surplus may be available from the domestic rations?

The position of turf workers or at any rate of certain classes of turf workers will be certainly considered.

Does the Minister propose to include in the classes who will be entitled to receive supplementary allowances, county council workers who have to travel four and five miles to work? They are away from home all day and they frequently take with them their bread allowance for the day. I could cite several cases in Cork County where married men without families who have to travel some distance to work would consume in the day the whole of the ration allotted to themselves and their wives.

Without expressing any final decision on the matter, I may say that it is unlikely that workers of that class can be included in those who are likely to receive a supplementary ration.

Would the Minister give special consideration to the case of men who have to work in coal mines?

I have undertaken to the representative of these workers to give consideration to their claims for supplementary rations.

Would the Minister take into consideration when granting supplementary allowances the claims of farmers who will have a considerable number of workers during the threshing season?

We will consider that when we come to it.

Would the Minister also consider the circumstances of poor people in towns who cannot procure potatoes and who would not be able to exist on six pounds of bread in the week?