asked the Minister for Health whether he is aware that tenders have been invited for over two months for the supply of turf to the Mental Hospital, Killarney, but that a contractor has not yet been selected; that in the meantime the contractor of last year is still delivering turf to the hospital at last year's contract price, and, if so, whether he will state (a) the price per ton for turf supplied to the hospital for the past three years, and (b) the reasons for the delay in approving of one of the tenders submitted, which will effect an immediate reduction in the fuel costs of the hospital.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers - Mental Hospital Turf Contract.
The matters referred to in the question are primarily the responsibility of the county manager. I have, however, made inquiries and I understand that tenders for the supply of turf to the District Mental Hospital, Killarney, were invited in April last and that two contractors have recently been selected one of whom had been supplying turf immediately prior to the invitation of tenders. It is not correct to state that this contractor has been supplying turf since the commencement of the current financial year at last year's contract price. The contract prices for the latter half of 1947 were 47/6 to 49/6 per ton. When supplies were required from the contractor since 1st April, 1948, they have been provided at 32/6 per ton. The current contract prices are 30/- to 32/6 per ton.
The following are the prices per ton of turf delivered to the institution during the past three years:—
|
July, 1945 |
22/9 to 32/6 |
|
January, 1946 |
34/- to 37/6 |
|
June, 1946 |
32/6 to 33/9 |
|
January, 1947 |
40/- to 54/- |
|
March, 1947 |
56/- |
|
August, 1947 |
47/6 to 49/6 |
The delay in reaching a definite decision on the tenders submitted was, I understand, due to the necessity of having samples of the turf to be supplied examined by the county engineer. Fifty-one tenders were received and the turf on offer was widely dispersed over the county.
Can the Minister inform me as to when these two contracts to which he referred in his reply were entered into?
On June 15th last, the county manager considered the engineer's report and accepted the tenders.