asked the Minister for Finance (a) what number of cubic feet of new Portland stone has been certified for as having been, or to be, used in the reconstruction work at the Custom House, Dublin; (b) the number of cubic feet of non-Irish stone used in the bases, columns and capitals of the supports to the dome of the Four Courts; (c) if any material for use in those reconstructions of public buildings in Dublin is at present being quarried in any limestone quarry within the Saorstát.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - DUBLIN RECONSTRUCTION—USE OF IRISH MATERIAL.
The reply to question (a) is about 664 cubic feet; the reply to question (b) is about 1,700 cubic feet; the reply to question (c) is that a large quantity of Irish limestone has already been quarried and used in the reconstruction of these buildings, and no more is required at this stage; therefore none is being quarried at present. The general policy is to use Portland stone only where it is necessary to match the existing work, and to use native stone everywhere else: thus, the dome of the Custom House, formerly constructed of Portland stone, is to be reconstructed in Irish limestone; Tirconaill sandstone will be used for the interior of the public hall of the General Post Office; and Kerry sandstone is being used instead of Bath stone in the interior of the Custom House.