asked the Minister for Supplies whether he is aware that £3 per ton is being charged for inferior turf in Carlow town, and whether, having regard to the high price and poor quality of the turf, he proposes to take steps to ensure that the price will be reduced.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Price of Turf in Carlow.
I am aware that the retail price of turf in Carlow is 60/- per ton and has been so for the past two years. I have had inquiries made, but I have been unable to secure evidence that inferior turf is being offered for sale by merchants in Carlow town.
The town is dependent on supplies imported from distant sources, and having regard to the production and transport costs involved, it is unlikely that any reduction in the present retail price can be effected.
May I suggest that, if the Minister sends an inspector to Carlow to make comprehensive inquiries there, he will find that a very considerable quantity of turf mould is being sold with an inferior class of turf and that the exorbitant price of £3 per ton is being charged, the indication being that the price will be higher still? Would the Minister undertake to send an officer of the Department to the area to obtain information which will corroborate the statements made to me by persons who have been the unfortunate victims of circumstances prevailing there in the matter of fuel prices?
I sent an inspector to Carlow town and he was unable to find that inferior turf was being offered for sale. In fact, 80 per cent. of the turf held by merchants in Carlow at that time was first-class turf. Furthermore, there is no reason to think that the price being charged in Carlow is exorbitant in the sense that the Carlow merchants are taking an excessive profit. On the contrary, they appear to be taking a somewhat lower profit than in other areas.
I am not concerned as to who takes the profit, but I am concerned with the fact that the people of Carlow are being compelled to pay £3 a ton for what they say is inferior turf. In fact, in some portions of the County Kildare, £3 per ton is being charged for turf. In present circumstances that is an outrageous charge. I suggested to the Minister that he should examine the matter sympathetically and expeditiously, and thus prevent the present ramp in turf prices, even in turf areas. Will he undertake to examine the Carlow position if I give him detailed evidence in support of the statements I have made?
I have had the Carlow position fully examined: the costs of each merchant taken out and the quality of the turf examined, and I am quite satisfied that the turf that is being offered for sale is good quality turf, and that the prices charged by the merchants are by no means exorbitant.
Was the position examined by an inspector who knows something about the value of turf and, if so, will the Minister say what the inspector says should be the water content of first-class turf?
Where would you get first-class turf now?
The water content should be in or about 35 per cent.
Roughly that.
Will not the Minister agree that 9d. per dozen sods is an outrageous price to charge for turf?
That is an outrageous price.
That price is being charged. If I supply the Minister with evidence of that fact, will he cause further inquiry to be made in that area so as to prevent people being exploited in the way that they are being exploited?
There are a large number of merchants in Carlow all of whom are anxious to sell as much turf as they can, and I am satisfied that as long as they can sell turf at 60/- per ton at a profit they will continue to do so. If somebody else charges exorbitant prices for turf the public are under no obligation to deal with him.
Does not the Minister realise that even 60/- per ton at this time of the year is an outrageous price for turf in what is scheduled a turf area?
That price can only be reduced by reducing the price paid to the producers of turf.
Is the Minister satisfied that the prices which are being demanded by the producers of turf is a reasonable price?
That is a very wide question. I do not consider that there is any practical method of effecting an all-round reduction.
Is the position then that those people have got to continue to pay £3 a ton for turf which, I allege, is of an inferior quality, and that in a turf area?
It is not a turf area.
Carlow?
No. There is no local supply of turf there at all.
Carlow is scheduled as a turf area where the people cannot get coal.
It is scheduled as a turf area but turf has to be transported from a distance.
It is scheduled as a turf area under the Order.