[Mairi Rodgers – Presentair] Tha cuideam ga chur air muinntir an Eilein Siar pàirt a ghabhail ann an sgrùdadh Oifis na Malairt Cothromaich mu phrìsean connaidh. Sin as dèidh dhaibh choinneamhan a chumail air a’ ghnothaich ann an Steòrnabhagh an-diugh. Thuirt comhairle nan Eilean Siar agus dithis de bhuill phàrlamaid na sgìre gun robh e gu h-àraidh cudromach gun cuireadh daoine an cuid bheachdan a-steach dhan rannsachaidh a thèid fhoillseachadh aig tòiseach na h-ath bhliadhna. Tha an aithris seo aig Catrìona NicIlleathain
[Catrìona NicIlleathain – Neach-aithris] Ged a tha an OFT air a bhith seo mar phàirt den rannsachadh aca air prìsean connaidh anns an Rìoghachd Aonaichte air fad tha cuspair no dhà sònraichte air ceann a thogail anns na h-Eileanan an Iar. An-diugh, bha iad an seo airson a-mhàin a bhith ag èisteachd, ach bha gu leòr aig daoine ri ràdh.
[Calum Iain MacÌomhair - CNES] Chaidh sinn tarsainn air tòrr de na rudan a tha a’ tachairt anns a’ mhargaidh ionadail. Thug sinn fianais dhan na OFT mu dheidhinn rudan a bha a’ tachairt, rudan a’ tachairt anns an seachdain a chaidh seachad. Bha an OFT, bha iad ag èisteachd math dhuinn. Bha ceistean aca mu dheidhinn rud a bha sinn a’ cantain. Ach am prìomh rud a bha iad a’ cantain, gun robh iad ag iarraidh fianais, gun robh iad ag iarraidh barrachd fiosrachaidh. Tha mi den a bheachd gu bheil an OFT a’ dol a bhith a’ choimhead ri seo gu math geur anns na seachdainean ri thighinn.
[Catrìona NicIlleathain – Neach-aithris] Tha ceist air a bhith anns na h-eileanan bho chionn greis mu chothromach farpais agus tha ceist sin air ceann a thogail buileach an dèidh do dh’ aonan dha na bùithtean ann an Leòdhas prìs a’ chonnaidh a leigeil gu mòr an-dèidh dhaibh a chunnart acasan atharrachadh. Tha bùithtean eile a’ cumail a-mach nach urrainn dhaibh na cùmhnantan aca atharrachadh agus ‘s e cho ceart no cho ceàrr ‘s a tha an dòigh-obrach sin aon de na prìomh cuspairean a thog ceann an-diugh.
[Aonghas Brianan MacNèill - MP] Tha mi a’ smaointinn gu bheil sin a’ toirt ma chuireadh do dhaoine dè dìreach a tha ceàrr agus faireachdainn a th’ agamsa ‘s a faireachdainn a th’ aig a’ mhòr-chuid gun e cinn-farpais eadar na distributors agus gu bheil na distributors a tha seo ceangailte ris na buidheann a’ reic connaidh aig deireadh na latha ann an contract nach fhaigh iad seachad air.
[Catrìona NicIlleathain – Neach-aithris] Tha mòran air a bhith a’ strì agus a’ feitheamh airson an cothrom bruidhinn ri buidhinn an leithid OFT, ach leis gu bheil an rannsachadh aca gu bhith a’ leantainn beagan mhìosan fhathast, càite a bheil seo a’ fàgail an strì airson prìsean connaidh nan eilean a thoirt sìos?
[Calum Iain MacÌomhair - CNES] Tha e riatanaiche dha na comhairle cumail ag obair air seo. Tha seo toirt bhuaidh mhòr air an eaconomaidh. So, mar sin, feumaidh sinne a’ feuchainn ris faighinn dòighean son dèanamh cinnteach gu bheil a’ phrìs ceart, gu bheil sinn a’ rian a’ phris anns na h-eileanan, tha e cudromach agus air a bhith air a chur air dòigh ann an dòigh a tha ceart.
[Aonghas Brianan MacNèill - MP] Cumaidh an strì a’ dol agus bha sinn bliadhnaichean a’ strì ri Rural Fuel Delegation mar a bh’ againne air, agus fhuair sinn sin mu dheireadh thall. Tha mi a’ smaointinn gu bheil sinn a’ faireachdainnean a fad ‘s a’ faicinn gum faodadh a-rèir mar a tachairt gun gabhaidh a’ phris a chur sìos. Tha fianais mu choinneamh ar sùilean, agus mar sin on a tha sin a tachairt, dh’fhaodadh e a bhith a’ tachairt air feadh nan eilean air fad agus sin an suidheachadh a-nis a bu mhath leinn fhaicinn gu math aithghearr.
[Catrìona NicIlleathain – Neach-aithris] Tha chun an seachdamh là deug aig daoine an cuid bheachdan air bho feadh an àite a chur chun an OFT. Tha iad ag ràdh gum faic sinn tòrr air an rannsachadh a tha seo aig tòiseach na h-ath bhliadhna. Catrìona NicIlleathain, BBC An Là. Na h-Eileanan an Iar.
[Mairi Rodgers – Presenter] Pressure is being put on the people of the Western Isles to take part in an Office of Fair Trading study about fuel prices. This follows meetings on the matter held in Stornoway today. The Council and two Members of Parliament said that it was especially important that people submit their views in to the research, which will be published at the start of next year. This report from Catriona MacLean.
[Catriona MacLean – Reporter] Although the OFT is here as part of their research on fuel prices in the United Kingdom as a whole, one or two specific matters have been raises in the Western Isles. Today they were hear just to listen, but people had plenty to say.
[Calum Iain MacIver - CNES] We went over the things that were happening in the local market. We gave evidence to the OFT about the things that were happening, things that have happened over the past week. I am of the opinion that the OFT is going to take a closer look at things in the weeks to come.
[Catriona MacLean – Reporter] The question has been in the islands for a while about fair trading and that question was further raised as one of the shops in Lewis reduced its prices considerably after they changed their contract. Other shops are saying that they cannot change their contracts and whether, or not, that is right is one of the main subjects that arose today.
Angus Brendan Macneil - MP] I think that we are letting people know what exactly is wrong and the feeling that I have, and is the feeling of many people that it is the competition growth between the distributors and the distributors are linked to the groups that sell fuel at the end of they are in a contract that they cannot get out of.
[Catriona MacLean – Reporter] Many have fought for the chance to speak to groups like the OFT, but as their research is going to take a few months yet, where does this leave those fighting for the reduction in island fuel prices?
[Calum Iain MacIver - CNES] It is essential that the council keep working on this. This has a big impact on the economy. So, we must try to find ways to make sure that the price is right, that we control the price and we are doing things in the correct manner.
[Angus Brendan Macneil - MP] The fight will continue and we were years fighting for Rural Fuel Delegation as we called it, and we got there in the end. I think that we feel as long as we can see that the price can go down it could happen on all the islands, that it is the situation that we would like to see very soon.
[Catriona MacLean – Reporter] The closing date for people, everywhere, to send in their opinions to the OFT. They say that we will see much of this research at the start of the next year. Catriona MacLean. An Là. The Western Isles.
[Mairi Rodgers – Presentair] Tha cuideam ga chur air muinntir an Eilein Siar pàirt a ghabhail ann an sgrùdadh Oifis na Malairt Cothromaich mu phrìsean connaidh. Sin as dèidh dhaibh choinneamhan a chumail air a’ ghnothaich ann an Steòrnabhagh an-diugh. Thuirt comhairle nan Eilean Siar agus dithis de bhuill phàrlamaid na sgìre gun robh e gu h-àraidh cudromach gun cuireadh daoine an cuid bheachdan a-steach dhan rannsachaidh a thèid fhoillseachadh aig tòiseach na h-ath bhliadhna. Tha an aithris seo aig Catrìona NicIlleathain
[Catrìona NicIlleathain – Neach-aithris] Ged a tha an OFT air a bhith seo mar phàirt den rannsachadh aca air prìsean connaidh anns an Rìoghachd Aonaichte air fad tha cuspair no dhà sònraichte air ceann a thogail anns na h-Eileanan an Iar. An-diugh, bha iad an seo airson a-mhàin a bhith ag èisteachd, ach bha gu leòr aig daoine ri ràdh.
[Calum Iain MacÌomhair - CNES] Chaidh sinn tarsainn air tòrr de na rudan a tha a’ tachairt anns a’ mhargaidh ionadail. Thug sinn fianais dhan na OFT mu dheidhinn rudan a bha a’ tachairt, rudan a’ tachairt anns an seachdain a chaidh seachad. Bha an OFT, bha iad ag èisteachd math dhuinn. Bha ceistean aca mu dheidhinn rud a bha sinn a’ cantain. Ach am prìomh rud a bha iad a’ cantain, gun robh iad ag iarraidh fianais, gun robh iad ag iarraidh barrachd fiosrachaidh. Tha mi den a bheachd gu bheil an OFT a’ dol a bhith a’ choimhead ri seo gu math geur anns na seachdainean ri thighinn.
[Catrìona NicIlleathain – Neach-aithris] Tha ceist air a bhith anns na h-eileanan bho chionn greis mu chothromach farpais agus tha ceist sin air ceann a thogail buileach an dèidh do dh’ aonan dha na bùithtean ann an Leòdhas prìs a’ chonnaidh a leigeil gu mòr an-dèidh dhaibh a chunnart acasan atharrachadh. Tha bùithtean eile a’ cumail a-mach nach urrainn dhaibh na cùmhnantan aca atharrachadh agus ‘s e cho ceart no cho ceàrr ‘s a tha an dòigh-obrach sin aon de na prìomh cuspairean a thog ceann an-diugh.
[Aonghas Brianan MacNèill - MP] Tha mi a’ smaointinn gu bheil sin a’ toirt ma chuireadh do dhaoine dè dìreach a tha ceàrr agus faireachdainn a th’ agamsa ‘s a faireachdainn a th’ aig a’ mhòr-chuid gun e cinn-farpais eadar na distributors agus gu bheil na distributors a tha seo ceangailte ris na buidheann a’ reic connaidh aig deireadh na latha ann an contract nach fhaigh iad seachad air.
[Catrìona NicIlleathain – Neach-aithris] Tha mòran air a bhith a’ strì agus a’ feitheamh airson an cothrom bruidhinn ri buidhinn an leithid OFT, ach leis gu bheil an rannsachadh aca gu bhith a’ leantainn beagan mhìosan fhathast, càite a bheil seo a’ fàgail an strì airson prìsean connaidh nan eilean a thoirt sìos?
[Calum Iain MacÌomhair - CNES] Tha e riatanaiche dha na comhairle cumail ag obair air seo. Tha seo toirt bhuaidh mhòr air an eaconomaidh. So, mar sin, feumaidh sinne a’ feuchainn ris faighinn dòighean son dèanamh cinnteach gu bheil a’ phrìs ceart, gu bheil sinn a’ rian a’ phris anns na h-eileanan, tha e cudromach agus air a bhith air a chur air dòigh ann an dòigh a tha ceart.
[Aonghas Brianan MacNèill - MP] Cumaidh an strì a’ dol agus bha sinn bliadhnaichean a’ strì ri Rural Fuel Delegation mar a bh’ againne air, agus fhuair sinn sin mu dheireadh thall. Tha mi a’ smaointinn gu bheil sinn a’ faireachdainnean a fad ‘s a’ faicinn gum faodadh a-rèir mar a tachairt gun gabhaidh a’ phris a chur sìos. Tha fianais mu choinneamh ar sùilean, agus mar sin on a tha sin a tachairt, dh’fhaodadh e a bhith a’ tachairt air feadh nan eilean air fad agus sin an suidheachadh a-nis a bu mhath leinn fhaicinn gu math aithghearr.
[Catrìona NicIlleathain – Neach-aithris] Tha chun an seachdamh là deug aig daoine an cuid bheachdan air bho feadh an àite a chur chun an OFT. Tha iad ag ràdh gum faic sinn tòrr air an rannsachadh a tha seo aig tòiseach na h-ath bhliadhna. Catrìona NicIlleathain, BBC An Là. Na h-Eileanan an Iar.
[Mairi Rodgers – Presenter] Pressure is being put on the people of the Western Isles to take part in an Office of Fair Trading study about fuel prices. This follows meetings on the matter held in Stornoway today. The Council and two Members of Parliament said that it was especially important that people submit their views in to the research, which will be published at the start of next year. This report from Catriona MacLean.
[Catriona MacLean – Reporter] Although the OFT is here as part of their research on fuel prices in the United Kingdom as a whole, one or two specific matters have been raises in the Western Isles. Today they were hear just to listen, but people had plenty to say.
[Calum Iain MacIver - CNES] We went over the things that were happening in the local market. We gave evidence to the OFT about the things that were happening, things that have happened over the past week. I am of the opinion that the OFT is going to take a closer look at things in the weeks to come.
[Catriona MacLean – Reporter] The question has been in the islands for a while about fair trading and that question was further raised as one of the shops in Lewis reduced its prices considerably after they changed their contract. Other shops are saying that they cannot change their contracts and whether, or not, that is right is one of the main subjects that arose today.
Angus Brendan Macneil - MP] I think that we are letting people know what exactly is wrong and the feeling that I have, and is the feeling of many people that it is the competition growth between the distributors and the distributors are linked to the groups that sell fuel at the end of they are in a contract that they cannot get out of.
[Catriona MacLean – Reporter] Many have fought for the chance to speak to groups like the OFT, but as their research is going to take a few months yet, where does this leave those fighting for the reduction in island fuel prices?
[Calum Iain MacIver - CNES] It is essential that the council keep working on this. This has a big impact on the economy. So, we must try to find ways to make sure that the price is right, that we control the price and we are doing things in the correct manner.
[Angus Brendan Macneil - MP] The fight will continue and we were years fighting for Rural Fuel Delegation as we called it, and we got there in the end. I think that we feel as long as we can see that the price can go down it could happen on all the islands, that it is the situation that we would like to see very soon.
[Catriona MacLean – Reporter] The closing date for people, everywhere, to send in their opinions to the OFT. They say that we will see much of this research at the start of the next year. Catriona MacLean. An Là. The Western Isles.