asked the Minister for Supplies if, in view of the numerous complaints that are being made in every part of the country respecting the uselessness of turf as a fuel, owing to the excessive amount of moisture in it, which excessive moisture is due in most cases to deliberate carelessness in the handling, he will take steps to fix legally a maximum percentage of water content for all turf offered by sale and compel the issue on demand of a certificate to this effect by every seller of turf.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Moisture Content of Turf.
I am not aware of numerous complaints that turf is useless as a fuel owing to excessive moisture content. In the turf area a purchaser of turf, whether a merchant or consumer, is not subject to restriction either as to quantity or source of supply, and this absence of restriction affords the same protection as is provided by ordinary commercial methods governing the purchase and sale of unrestricted commodities. In all cases where complaints as to quality of turf offered for sale have been received from the turf area, it has been possible to indicate alternative sources of supply of good turf at reasonable prices.
In the non-turf area where consumers are restricted as regards the quantity of turf which may be purchased and the merchants from whom they may purchase, the merchant is free to reject turf which he regards as unsaleable and is required to replace, free of charge, any such turf which he is found to have delivered to a consumer.
With regard to the last part of the Deputy's question, tests have shown that moisture content is a varying factor even in respect of turf cut from the same bank and could vary from day to day, in respect of the same turf, according to the moisture content of the surrounding air. The Deputy's suggestion is therefore impracticable.
The Minister has suggested that alternative turf can be provided if complaint is made. Is the Minister not aware that the merchants have no alternative turf, that they have no other turf to offer?
That is entirely incorrect. The merchants are fully entitled to reject any turf which they do not regard as suitable.
They have no alternative—nothing better to give.
They have an alternative; they have better to give.
I do not know where it is to be got. At the last meeting of the Dáil, a question was raised about the sodden condition of the turf in Cork. I have seen some of the turf and it is not only sodden, it is drowned. I ask the Minister does he confess to this House that it is impossible to lay down a standard for the moisture content of turf? That is really the question and it is a very simple one.
It is impossible.