asked the Minister for Lands if he will state what arrangements are made for the sale of timber at Loughentra, Gort, County Galway; if he is aware that people at the auctions of timber held there sometimes buy large quantities of the timber and leave none for the poor, whose main source of firing is wood; and if he will see to it that a sufficient quantity is made available for people who can purchase only small quantities each time.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Sale of Timber in County Galway.
Timber from the State forest lands near Gort is sold in one of three ways. Large lots of commercial timber are advertised and sold by competitive tender. Smaller lots are sold by auction; and firewood is sold either by auction or at fixed rates by ton or load. As regards the suggestion that, at the auction sales, certain people buy large quantities and leave none for the poor, the prices received per lot range from 5/- to 18/- each and the auctioner and the forester in charge endeavour to allocate the lots as fairly as possible amongst all the persons desiring to make purchases. As there is a maximum price for firewood, which must not be exceeded, there can be no question of the richer outbidding the poorer by offering excessive prices.
As regards direct local sales the officer in charge of the area was authorised in July last to sell up to 100 tons of firewood at 16/- a ton. His returns show that the size of the lots sold ranges from about 5 cwts. to slightly over one ton, the average being 15 cwts.