asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether, in view of recent statements in the Dáil and elsewhere, he will state, as regards the overall average cost on the roadside of 1944 turf sold by county councils to Fuel Importers, Limited, what part of the cost represents labour employed on the bog, and what part represents other costs, distinguishing as far as possible the separate items included in the other costs.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Council Turf Costs.
The information requested by the Deputy is in the form of a tabular statement which will be circulated with the Official Report.
Following is the statement:—
ANALYSIS OF OVERALL AVERAGE COST PER TON ON THE ROADSIDE OF 1944 COUNTY COUNCIL TURF SUPPLIED TO FUEL IMPORTERS (ÉIRE) LTD.
|
Percentage |
Cost per ton |
||
|
s. |
d. |
||
|
Wages (including National Health Insurance, Holiday Pay and Payments for contract Turf) |
86.0 |
31 |
4 |
|
Compensation for acquisition |
3.7 |
1 |
4 |
|
Transport of workers |
2.8 |
1 |
0 |
|
Overdraft Interest |
2.0 |
9 |
|
|
Temporary Clerical and Engineering Staff and Bonuses to permanent Clerks and Engineers |
1.5 |
7 |
|
|
Workmen's Compensation (Insurance Premiums and Payment of Claims to injured workmen) |
.9 |
4 |
|
|
Materials and Tools |
.7 |
3 |
|
|
Other Items (Stationery, Phones, Postage, Tea and Sugar, etc.) |
2.4 |
10 |
|
|
100.0 |
36 |
5 |
asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether, in view of statements made recently in the Dáil on the Turf Development Bill, he will state, in respect of each county council selling turf to Fuel Importers, Limited, the cost of production per ton on the roadside in respect of all crops for which final costs have been determined; also the overall average cost per ton on the roadside, and if he will furnish reasons of a general nature for differences in such costs.
The information requested in the first part of the Deputy's question is set out in a tabular statement which will be circulated with the Official Report.
Local circumstances, which vary considerably, have an important influence on the differences in production costs. Difficulties of access to bogs, varying depths of top-sod, the altitudes of bogs, distances from spread grounds, climatic conditions, the traditional skill of workers and also the shortage of labour in bog areas necessitating transport of labour, are factors which prevent the standardisation of county production costs on a common basis.
Transport difficulties of the emergency period also have a bearing on the cost. Where substantial quantities of turf had of necessity to be left on the bogs over the winter both quantity and condition suffered and extra expenditure on re-saving was necessary in the following spring.
In comparing average costs shown on the tabular statement for each crop it should be noted that wages have been increased from between 25 to 33? per cent of the 1941 levels.
Following is the statement referred to:—
COSTS OF PRODUCTION ON ROADSIDE.
|
County Council |
1941 Crop |
1942 Crop |
1943 Crop |
1944 Crop |
1945 Crop |
|
Per Ton |
Per Ton |
Per Ton |
Per Ton |
Per Ton |
|
|
Clare |
41/7½ |
38/3 |
43/9 |
41/11 |
— |
|
Cork |
39/11 |
33/2 |
32/11 |
33/3 |
— |
|
Donegal |
34/4 |
— |
28/2 |
31/4 |
— |
|
Galway |
25/9 |
30/5 |
29/10 |
29/3 |
— |
|
Kerry |
67/6 |
43/- |
40/2 |
48/2 |
— |
|
Kildare |
40/11 |
36/7 |
39/5 |
— |
— |
|
Kilkenny |
— |
38/9 |
31/5 |
40/- |
— |
|
Laoighis |
43/9 |
43/9 |
44/1 |
35/6 |
— |
|
Leitrim |
33/1 |
44/8 |
44/8 |
43/10 |
— |
|
Limerick |
37/- |
— |
45/8 |
43/- |
— |
|
Longford |
37/8 |
39/8 |
39/- |
37/10 |
— |
|
Louth |
— |
— |
51/6 |
69/7 |
— |
|
Mayo |
18/1 |
22/1 |
24/8 |
26/10 |
— |
|
Meath |
48/6 |
48/6 |
48/4 |
— |
— |
|
Offaly |
29/8 |
30/6 |
29/6 |
29/6 |
32/10 |
|
Roscommon |
29/1½ |
40/11 |
43/6 |
45/3 |
— |
|
Sligo |
58/3 |
37/8 |
29/9 |
31/7 |
— |
|
Tipperary, N.R. |
54/2 |
54/2 |
46/8 |
58/6 |
— |
|
Waterford |
45/2 |
45/2 |
45/2 |
44/8 |
— |
|
Westmeath |
29/5 |
33/2 |
31/7 |
32/10 |
34/3 |
|
Wexford |
— |
51/3½ |
— |
— |
— |
|
Wicklow |
— |
— |
— |
51/2 |
— |
|
Overall Average cost on Roadside |
34/8 |
33/5 |
33/1 |
36/5 |
— |