asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is aware that in places like Kinsale which is over 40 miles from the nearest bog and scheduled as a turf area, turf supplies have recently been so scarce that producers have taken advantage of the acute scarcity to bring lorry loads of turf into these towns and to command prices as high as £7 a ton; and if he will take the necessary steps to protect householders in such places from being exploited in this manner either by enforcing a controlled price on these lorry-owning producers, or bringing such places into the category of non-turf areas.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Price of Turf (Kinsale).
The scarcity of good quality turf in recent months has been general and has not been confined to places such as Kinsale which, although in the scheduled turf area, are not convenient to the bogs. While Kinsale merchants are not at present in a position to supply lots of one ton or upwards turf is available in small lots at a reasonable price. All recent demands made by Kinsale merchants for turf supplies have been met. People who are willing to pay extravagant prices for supplies in excess of their immediate needs are even more to blame than those who seek such prices. It is not proposed to bring Kinsale into the non-turf area.