asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state (a) the date in 1954 on which the retail price of bacon was fixed by Order, (b) the retail prices fixed for the different cuts of bacon on that date, (c) the subsequent dates on which prices were varied, and (d) the retail prices of the different cuts of bacon fixed by each subsequent Order.

Two Orders controlling the maximum retail prices of bacon were made in 1954, viz.: (i) The Bacon (Maximum Prices) Order, 1954, which came into operation on 4th October, 1954, and (ii) The Bacon (Maximum Prices) (No. 2) Order, 1954, which came into operation on 22nd November, 1954. The controlled maximum retail prices are set out in the Schedules to these Orders.

On the 12th February, 1955, the Bacon (Maximum Prices) Order, 1955, was made by me. The Schedule to that Order specified, in eight different columns, a series of maximum retail prices for bacon, and the Order provided that the prices specified in any particular column could be brought into operation by a direction of the Minister for Industry and Commerce.

I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to circulate, in the form of a tabular statement with the Official Report, particulars of the directions given by me under the Order.

Following is the statement:—

PARTICULARS OF DIRECTIONS MADE BY THE MINISTER FOR INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE UNDER THE BACON (MAXIMUM PRICES) ORDER, 1955.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether the recent increase in the wholesale price of bacon was imposed following a recommendation from the Prices Advisory Body, and, if not, if he will make a statement on the matter.

The wholesale price of bacon is not controlled. As the Deputy is aware, the Bacon (Maximum Prices) Order, 1955, provides for the control of retail prices, and the last direction given by me under this Order, reduced the maximum prices with effect from 8th October, 1956.

Would the Minister not, in fairness to the section of the industry affected by the lack of control of wholesale prices, consider controlling wholesale prices at this stage?

At this stage, it is not merely wholesale prices of bacon in the ordinary sense that are involved. You have the manufacturer, the wholesaler the retailer and the consumers. In this particular case the wholesaler is, in fact, the curer and so far as the fixing of prices at the curing level is concerned that is as much a matter for the Department of Agriculture as it is for the Department of Industry and Commerce.

Could you not do it between you?

Who is going to heal the civil war?

I think the Deputy is making the mistake of imagining that any fixation at that level would produce miraculous results. There is no evidence at that point that it will.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he is aware that while the bacon factories are grading pigs for producers, and pricing them accordingly, consumers are paying uniform prices for all grades; and, if so, if he will take steps to ensure that bacon for the consumer is graded both in quality and price.

I have already considered the possibility of having the different cuts of bacon for retail sale stamped according to quality or grade but I am advised that this course would be impracticable.

The grade marking could not be done when the pigs are being graded after slaughter because grade A pigs may sometimes produce grade B bacon and grade B pigs may produce grade A bacon. If the grade marking were to be done when the bacon is ready to leave the factory extra staff and expense would be necessary and this would be inevitably reflected in dearer bacon.