asked the Minister for Local Government if he will say, for each of the years 1946, 1947 and 1948, what was the fuel consumption for premises under local government control, giving the average price per ton under the headings turf, timber, coal (distinguishing between Irish and imported); and the estimated figures, under the same headings, for 1949.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Fuel Consumption.
As regards the local government services for the supervision of which I am the appropriate Minister, the fuel consumption is estimated to be only about 20 per cent. of the whole fuel consumption of local authorities. To obtain even approximate figures for this small proportion of the total local fuel consumption, it would be necessary to require 115 separate local authorities to undertake a special examination of their accounts and records and to furnish returns to the Department where they would have to be checked, collated and compiled in tabular form.
With the existing pressure of work in the local and departmental offices, I would not be warranted in requiring the staffs concerned to devote a considerable amount of time to the preparation of these returns.
As regards fuel consumption in respect of local government services for which I am not the appropriate Minister, these services are supervised largely by the Minister for Health, and in lesser degrees by the Ministers for Social Welfare, Education, Agriculture and Industry and Commerce.