asked the Minister for Finance if he can state the total number of wheelbarrows already supplied by or to the Board of Works in connection with the Barrow Drainage work, showing the number made by the Board of Works employees in Athy, and the number purchased by the Board, and whether the latter were supplied by the Trade Department (Local Government), and, if not, if he will state the name of the maker and the price paid.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - WHEELBARROWS SUPPLIED FOR BARROW DRAINAGE SCHEME.
replying: The total number of wheelbarrows supplied by or to the Board of Works for the Barrow drainage works is 160. Of these, 60 were assembled by the Board's employees in Athy from Irish materials obtained for the purpose, at a cost of 18/- each.
100 wheelbarrows were purchased as follows:—
|
No. |
Description. |
Firm. |
Price each. |
|
6 |
Steel. |
Messrs. Henshaw, Dublin |
32/6 |
|
12 |
Wood and pressed steel. |
Shillelagh Wood Co. |
22/- |
|
24 |
Steel. |
Messrs. Duthie, Large & Co., Athy |
30/- |
|
24 |
Steel. |
Do. |
20/- |
|
10 |
Wooden. |
Do. |
20/- |
|
24 |
Wooden. |
Do. |
24/- |
|
100 |
|||
The places of origin are:—
54 pressed steel wheelbarrows made in England.
34 wooden made in Ireland.
12 wood and pressed steel made at Shillelagh.
The Trade Section of the Department of Local Government and Public Health is no longer one of the Central Purchasing Departments. Under the Local Authorities (Combined Purchasing) Act, 1925, its functions deal with the purchases made by Local Authorities.
Are we to understand from the Parliamentary Secretary that it is the deliberate policy of the Government to insist that purchases by the local authorities must be made through the Trade Department, and that Government Departments can independently purchase whatever they require from wherever they like?
I think that question should be addressed to the Minister.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary agree to convey the contents of his reply to me to the chief engineer, who is responsible for the carrying out of the contract in the Barrow area, and ask him to contradict the statement he made in the local Press to the effect that all the wheelbarrows were made in Dublin and Athy ?