asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will reconsider his decision not to make use of the provincial Press for advertising retail prices.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Advertisement of Retail Prices.
Advertisements concerning the controlled retail prices are ordinarily published in the morning daily papers. On occasions, the evening newspapers are also selected for the publication of some of the advertisements, and the provincial Press is selected for the publication of others which have a particular local interest. I am satisfied that the existing arrangements are adequate to meet requirements and do not consider that it is necessary at present to make more extensive use of the provincial Press, but the position will be reconsidered from time to time in the light of prevailing circumstances.
Is the Minister aware that there are many people, especially in the rural areas, who do not read the daily papers and the only source of news they have is the papers printed locally—the weekly provincial Press?
That may be so. The advertisements which were published recently were intended as much for the information of traders as for the information of the public. If there should be evidence of a lack of knowledge of controlled prices in rural areas which could be rectified by the publication of advertisements in local papers, the position will be re-examined but the cost of advertisement in the local Press is quite considerable and it is necessary at the present time to try and avoid unnecessary cost.
Is it not unfair that this information should be published in the evening newspapers in the City of Dublin?
Of course, not all the advertisements appear in evening papers, only advertisements relating to prices where it is considered important that they should be brought directly to the attention of those who are located in the areas where these newspapers are read.
There is hardly a distinction between the needs of the people who read the Dublin evening newspapers and of the people in the country who do not get the evening papers.