§ Mr. BYRNEasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he is aware that difficulty is experienced in Ireland with reference to the sugar supply; if he is aware that 2129W orphanages, schools, convents, hospitals, and other institutions doing charitable work are not receiving the amount allowed by the Government; if he is aware that in many parts of Ireland sugar has not been obtainable for the past five weeks; and what steps, if any, he proposes to take in the matter?
Mr. BRIDGE MANI have been asked to reply. I am aware that difficulties are experienced in Ireland as to the sugar supply, but I have no reason to believe that these are in general any greater than similar difficulties in Great Britain, or that they arise from any other cause than the extreme limitation of supplies, combined with occasional delays in transit. It has not, however, been brought to the notice of the Ministry of Food or of the Royal Commission on the Sugar Supply that sugar has been unobtainable for the past five weeks in many parts of Ireland, and this certainly should not occur. If specific cases are brought to the notice of the Food Controller inquiry will be made. Complaint has from time to time been made by various institutions in Ireland respecting deficiencies in their sugar supplies, and in some cases additional supplies have been allotted.