I move:—
Go ndeontar suim Bhreise na raghaidh thar £23,174 chun íoctha an Mhuirir a thiocfaidh chun bheith iníoctha i rith na bliana dar críoch an 31adh lá de Mhárta, 1937, chun Tuarastail agus Costaisí Oifig an Aire Tionnscail agus Tráchtála maraon le Coiste Comhairlitheach na Rátaí, agus Ildeontaisí i gCabhair.
That a Supplementary sum not exceeding £23,174 be granted to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending 31st March, 1937, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Office of the Minister for Industry and Commerce, including the Rates Advisory Committee, and sundry Grants-in-Aid.
The Supplementary Estimate provides for the sum immediately required for the development of Clonsast bog. I mentioned some time ago in this House the intention to proceed with the development which arose as a result of the report made by a delegation which visited the Continent last year to investigate certain aspects of the turf industry and the further investigations pursued subsequently in the matter by the Turf Development Board. The Government came to the conclusion that we ought to endeavour to secure that a beginning would be made in the development of Irish bogs along the lines pursued by certain German companies on bogs in Germany. In principle, the method pursued is no different to that carried on by Sir John Grffith at his bog at Turraun for a number of years, but certain advances in practice and technique have been made, and it is intended to incorporate these into the efforts pursued along the same lines here. It is intended to undertake a large-scale development of Irish bogs along these lines, and, as a first step to that end, it is proposed to provide the Turf Development Board with the necessary capital to acquire and develop the bog known as Clonsast bog, which is situated about four miles north of Portarlington. That bog is about 4,000 acres in extent, and will be developed to provide for a production of about 120,000 tons per annum. It is estimated that the total capital required for the venture will be about £162,000, in addition to a sum of £33,000 for working capital. These sums will provide for the purchase of the bog, the purchase of the necessary machinery, the drainage of the bog, and the erection of buildings. Money will also be expended on the construction of bog railways and electrical power lines.
It is proposed to advance that money to the Turf Development Board at 4¾ per cent. interest, and the Board have undertaken to repay the money over a period of 25 years. In the selection of the bog and the planning of the operations the Board have had the technical assistance of a German expert familiar with the method of carrying out similar work in Germany. Drainage operations on the bog will commence at once. They have, in fact, commenced, but it will be about three years before the bog is likely to be in production. The sum now asked for in the Supplementary Estimate is to provide the cost of purchasing the bog, the cost of the initial drainage operations and for the erection of buildings. The Government has been impressed by the potentialities of this system of production as a method of lessening unemployment in many parts of the country. The work to be done at Clonsast will provide immediately employment for a number of people, which will increase in each year. In the course of the present year it is anticipated that an average of 130 men will be employed, increasing in the next year by 100, and in the third year to something less than 400 men. When the bog is in full production it is estimated that 600 men will be employed in seasonal operations and 200 permanently all the year round.
These figures should allay the idea that has been expressed in some quarters that the mechanical production of turf will displace labour. The turf machines macerate the turf, mixing the top and the bottom sods, and give a uniform quality of turf from the one bog, which it is not possible to obtain in hand-won turf. It is the Government's intention gradually to extend this system of production throughout the country, but it should be realised in that connection that before a bog can be proved suitable for the machine-winning of turf, an exceedingly detailed survey must be made both of the outfall drains of the bog, the quality of the turf and the floor bed of the bog. The Turf Board are endeavouring at present to secure suitable bogs for similar work in the west and south-west. It is their intention to extend their operations into those areas subsequently, but of course no part of the money now asked for is expenditure to cover any cost arising from such development. In fact, the amount of this Vote is intended to meet the initial cost arising in connection with Clonsast bog in Leix; the subsequent amount, up to the full sum I have mentioned, will be voted as required. The whole sum is repayable, and interest will be charged on advances of the various sums which are made available from the dates of the advances. The purpose is, as I have mentioned, to provide employment as required, and to establish here large scale operations on lines which have proved, where started, to have been successful, and which will result in a considerable extension in production.
