asked the Minister for Finance if he will state whether persons or firms who propose to cut turf in the County Kildare during the present year for sale in Dublin will be granted permits for the transfer and sale of such turf in Dublin.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Permits for Sale of Turf.
To the extent to which turf surplus to the internal requirements of the county is available for export to non-turf areas and its production and transport will not interfere with the public interest in the production and transport of national turf, the general intention is to give licences in approved cases on the same conditions as in 1941. The sale of turf in a non-turf area is regulated by the Department of Supplies Emergency Powers (Control of Fuel) Order, 1941, by virtue of which no person can carry on outside the scheduled turf areas the business of selling turf, whether by wholesale or retail, unless he is a licensed fuel merchant or the sales thereof are solely to licensed fuel merchants.
At what period of the turf-cutting season will a decision be taken on the factors referred to in the first portion of the reply?
At the earliest possible moment. We are in contact, I think, at present with all those concerned of whom we have knowledge. Anybody with whom we are not in contact and who may be interested will get all the assistance we can give him as quickly as possible if he applies to us.
If a person or firm in Dublin desires to open up banks of turf in Kildare, will they be able to get information as to whether they will be permitted to cut and transport the turf before they go to the expense of draining the bog?
There are certain things which I cannot say I can or will do. We shall do our very best to help everybody.