asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he can state the approximate number of heavy lorries which arrive in Dublin each day, laden with turf, from the South and West of Ireland; what is the approximate cost per ton for hauling this fuel by road, and how does this price compare with that carried by the railway.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cost of Turf Haulage.
During the peak period of direct road transport this season there were approximately 65 heavy lorries arriving daily in Dublin with national turf from the South and West of Ireland, i.e., Counties Tipperary (North) and Galway. These arrivals were supplementary to rail deliveries and lorries were employed only when all available rail transport had been utilised.
The average cost for national turf transport from these counties by direct road services was 38/3 per ton. For the same haul by rail, had extra wagons been available, the average cost of delivery allowing for attendant railhead and terminal lorry services, would have been 26/5 per ton.
If the light running of these lorries on the return journey could be eliminated, will the Parliamentary Secretary say how much that would reduce the cost per ton of the turf sold to consumers in Dublin?
Personally I do not think that it is anything like as easy to eliminate the idle running of lorries on the return journey as the Deputy imagines.
Except in the County Mayo.
There is one place in County Mayo where it can be done— in the Belmullet peninsula. We do know that there are certain lorries going out which have a regular trade into that district. They are now being used for the purpose of bringing back turf on the return journey. As far as normal large transport from west to the east is concerned, there does not seem to be much prospect of a saving in that line.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary admit that the figure he has given of 38/3 per ton is equivalent to double the rail rate for carrying the same commodity by rail.
It is not double. Merely to take the rail transport alone against lorry transport alone, does not represent what is the total cost from the bog to the dump.
You have to add in all the delivery charges.
At each end. I am rather glad that this particular question has been raised. There is a certain amount of difficulty about it, and I would like the House to understand it. The use of lorries for long distance direct transport of national turf is necessary for the reason that the maximum quantity of railway transport available for the purpose is not sufficient to meet the fuel requirements of the non-turf area. During this season, and up to the 17th September, 1942, the quantity of turf brought directly by road from Tipperary and Galway was 4,700 tons, which represents a very small fraction of the total quantity transported to the non-turf area, somewhere about 1 or 1¼ per cent. In addition to the 65 lorries from Counties Tipperary (north) and Galway, there were 95 bringing national turf to Dublin daily during the peak period. This turf came from Kildare, Laoighis, Longford, Meath, Westmeath and Offaly; and there were also about 80 lorries arriving daily with turf other than national turf, i.e., deliveries for industries, institutions, parish councils, etc.
The average length of haul for national turf in direct road transport from all counties in 1942 was 66 miles; and the average cost 26/- per ton as compared with the average cost of 22/- for rail transport—if it had been available—including attendant lorry services, made up as follows: bog to railhead transport, 5/3; unloading lorries into wagons, 1/6; rail transport to Dublin, 9/-; unloading wagons and road transport to dump, 6/3, making a total of 22/-. The break up of the average railway transport charge from Tipperary North and Galway is as follows: bog to railhead transport, 7/5; unload lorries into rail wagons, 1/6; rail transport to Dublin, 11/3; unload wagons at Dublin and transport to dump, 6/3, making a total of 25/5.