asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is aware that turf is now being conveyed from Dublin to Allenwood power station; and, if so, if he will state the cost of delivery, including loading, and further, why turf that is available locally should not be utilised in the power station, thus avoiding unnecessary transport costs.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Allenwood Power Station: Turf.
I am informed by the Electricity Supply Board that in December, 1951, they contracted with Dublin merchants to purchase 6,000 tons of hand-won turf to be delivered to their stations at Allenwood or Portarlington. It was anticipated by the board that the turf would be delivered direct from the bogs to the generating stations, but the board now understand that a quantity amounting to about 1,000 tons had already been sent to Dublin and that this turf is now being transferred to Allenwood. As the contract price included loading and delivery charges these costs are not known to the board. I am further informed by the board that they have already purchased a quantity of local hand-won turf and that they are prepared to consider the purchase of any surplus hand-won turf produced locally.
Is the Minister not in a position to give any information as to the additional cost that has been put upon the country by this nonsensical performance under which turf is being brought up from the bog and brought down again to the bog?
The Deputy is as well aware of the position as I am. He knows that the Electricity Supply Board is independent of the Minister.
Does it not seem a bit absurd that the Electricity Supply Board should be taking turf from Dublin down to Allenwood while the people in Allenwood cannot get a market for their turf? After all, the Electricity Supply Board is operating on public money, and would it not be more sensible to request the Electricity Supply Board to buy the turf which is available locally and thereby provide a market for the turf which is cut locally?
I am informed by the Electricity Supply Board that they are prepared to purchase any surplus of hand-won turf produced locally.
Now, but not before this took place. You are caught on this matter and that is all there is to it.
The Electricity Supply Board wanted extra fuel for their power stations. In addition to what they could get locally and from Bord na Móna they contracted with Dublin merchants to purchase 6,000 tons of hand-won turf to be delivered to their stations at Allenwood or Portarlington. Owing to some misunderstanding on the part of these merchants, 5,000 tons of turf were delivered direct to the power stations and 1,000 tons were delivered to Dublin. Those 1,000 tons of turf are now being transferred to Allenwood.
What is the price per ton for the 6,000 tons?
That is a separate question, a different matter.
Will the Minister say if people in the vicinity of Allenwood Power Station who now have turf for disposal approach the Electricity Supply Board, the Electricity Supply Board will endeavour to take turf from these people?
Yes, they will be urged to do so.
Is the Minister aware that they have approached the Electricity Supply Board and they are told that the board will not accept their hand-won turf? Is the Minister further aware that the Tánaiste said in this House even the week before the Recess that the Electricity Supply Board would not take hand-won turf?
The two turf-burning stations are in the Deputy's constituency——
One.
The other is not very far away. If he goes down there he can see hand-won turf coming in day after day.
He can see it coming from Dublin day after day.
It is coming from all over the country. For nine months past they burned about 60,000 tons.
Nobody can travel over the roads down there with the lorries bringing turf back from Dublin.
I put a question to the Minister for Industry and Commerce some time ago asking whether the Allenwood power station was prepared to take hand-won turf. The reply I got was to the effect that the Electricity Supply Board anticipated that there would be a sufficiency of machine-won turf and that there was no local market for hand-won turf. That statement was confirmed in a letter from the Minister for Industry and Commerce and the local people say there is no market for hand-won turf. Would the Minister cause some representations to be made to the Electricity Supply Board with a view to ensuring that it will take hand-won turf, especially in view of the reply previously given?
The Electricity Supply Board have been looking for hand-won turf. It is cheaper to burn hand-won turf at a reasonable price than to burn foreign coal.