asked the Minister for Agriculture whether, in view of difficulties caused for farmers by delays in accepting deliveries of wheat for drying by Dublin millers, he will arrange for these millers to work on a 24-hour basis until these difficulties have passed.

The facilities for drying wheat by Dublin millers are at present in use for 24 hours a day for seven days a week. The rate of acceptance of wheat from growers must be regulated in relation to the capacity of the driers to handle it.

I would ask the Minister if he has seen the reports in the papers about lorries of wheat standing over and waiting, the lorry drivers sleeping in the lorries at night? If it is a fact that the facilities for drying are been utilised to the fullest in the mills, would he not induce the millers to provide storage, in order that the wheat may be taken off the lorries and the men allowed to go home?

The Deputy may rest assured that I have not only seen reports in the newspapers but I have, twice daily, reports from the milling inspectors, who are watching this matter hourly. I have weekly reports from every chief agricultural officer in the country. As the Deputy is no doubt aware, as a result of directions given from my Department, the millers are now permitting the use of, and availing of, every drying plant which is available in the country. Only two days ago I myself directed that the drying installation at Grange Farm should be brought into operation for the relief of the farmers who are struggling to get the crop saved and dried. The Deputy may rest assured that every conceivable device is being operated to get grain dried, and, if he at any time can suggest any method to me which will expedite the procedure or help in any way, I shall welcome his advice and shall be very happy to give effect to it if it is calculated to relieve the situation in any degree.

May I ask the Minister would he consider asking the Sugar Company have they drying plant——

Yes, we did; but unfortunately the Sugar Company required their drying capacity to deal with the sugar pulp from the incoming beet crop. If the Deputy can get the Sugar Company or any branch of the Sugar Company to undertake wheat drying for farmers in any particular area, he may rest assured of my cordial collaboration in facilitating that in any way; but I am not prepared to direct the Sugar Company to disrupt the whole beet campaign. They have their own technical advisers and I am perfectly certain that if it were possible for them to help at the moment they would do so. I am not going to direct them to do something that they feel would disrupt the beet campaign; but if the Deputy has any better information on the subject and brings it to my attention, his advice will be most warmly welcome.

Does the Minister not know—his common sense should tell him—that the position of farmers with beet is that beet can wait? The farmer has to wait until the wheat crop is saved. Can the Sugar Company not withhold their campaign and assist in saving the wheat crop, which is perishable? I believe the position at the moment is that beet will not be available for the factories. Could he not look into that? The wheat could be saved. The beet could wait and, as a matter of fact, I believe it will have to wait in many cases. The Sugar Company has often before had practically to close down until the beet was available.

That matter is being carefully investigated, but that is no reason why it should not be investigated again. If the Deputy tells me he has later and better information, I shall certainly cause further inquiries to be made.

Is the Minister aware that there are provincial flour mills whose drying facilities are not being utilised to the full at the moment?

No.

There are.

If the Deputy has particulars of any such case, I would be glad to have them.

I have. I understand that the Milford flour mills have drying facilities which are not being used to the full at the moment or were not last week.

Is there any wheat in the area which requires to be dried?

It is a question as to where there are drying facilities available, in order that they may be used, whether it is for wheat in the area or not.

Surely the Deputy does not suggest that we bring wheat from Cork to Milford to get it dried?

The Minister could not go further away than that.

Any kind of adaptation the Deputy has to suggest would be most heartily welcome.

Is the Minister aware that certain millers in the Midlands have refused wheat because it was the half-day on a Saturday? Can he give an assurance here that he will use his good offices with those millers to get them to work the half-day?

Did the Deputy take the trouble to send me a halfpenny postcard informing me of that abuse?

I am telling the Minister now.

Did he do it at the time the abuse was being made and when the wheat was deteriorating, to his knowledge, because the millers would not work the half-day? Did he trouble himself to send me the halfpenny postcard then?

I am giving the Minister the information now.

It is twopence now.

Even if he sent one without any stamp at all, I would have received it.

I am giving him the information now.

Give it to me on a postcard.

I will give the name of the mill.

Give it to me on a halfpenny postcard.

I will give the Minister the name——

Do; damn nearly time you did.

Question No. 41.

What is the Deputy hatching on that information for up to now?