asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is aware that considerable delay has taken place, within the last few months, in the allocation and delivery of timber by Timber Importers, Limited, to Dublin merchants, with resulting delay in the delivery to builders, and that building operations have been thereby unnecessarily retarded; if he will have inquiry made into the cause of this delay; and if he will take steps to see that allocations and deliveries are effected by Timber Importers, Limited, with as little delay as possible after the arrival of the timber.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Timber Supplies.
The system of central purchasing of timber which had to be adopted to secure supplies has undoubtedly created difficulties of distribution which did not prevail under prewar trading conditions. It has been found very difficult to load timber so that it will arrive in Irish ports at timely intervals, with the result that the work of sorting and checking is impeded.
I am satisfied that Timber Importers, Limited, are making every endeavour to distribute the timber with as little delay as possible.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he is aware that all red deal, which is regarded by many Dublin builders as essential for the manufacture of joinery, is being imported by Timber Importers, Limited, through the ports of Cork and Limerick alone, thereby involving unnecessary cost to Dublin builders; and if he will state the reasons for this arrangement, and whether he will take steps to see that some of the red deal supplies are brought into the port of Dublin.
The Deputy is misinformed. All red deal is not imported through the ports of Cork and Limerick alone. In fact, this year's purchase of red deal has not yet been shipped. A considerable proportion of it will be imported through Dublin.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he is aware that a considerable amount of avoidable cost and unnecessary waste is caused to joinery manufacturers in Dublin by reason of the fact that they are compelled to use three-inch spruce instead of two-inch red deal as no two-inch timber is imported into Dublin; if he will state the reasons for the restriction on the import into Dublin of two-inch timber; and whether he will cause steps to be taken to remove the difficulties under which the joinery manufacturers are working.
There is no restriction on the import of two-inch timber into Dublin, or into any other port, other than the difficulty which obtains in securing imported timber in the desired specifications.