asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will take steps to ensure that a supply of turf will be made available for sale to poor people in Galway City next winter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Galway Fuel Supplies.
There is no official control over the distribution of available supplies of turf. The securing of supplies for any particular area is, accordingly, a matter for arrangement by the fuel merchants concerned through the usual trade channels.
If the Deputy has in mind the provision for eligible persons in Galway City of cheap turf such as is provided in certain other centres, I would inform him that this matter is one for consideration by the local authority in conjunction with the Department of Social Welfare.
Will the Minister recommend Bord na Móna to set up a store in Galway City which would meet my point?
I think this matter is one which should be dealt with between those who are in the business of selling fuel and those to whom they have to sell the fuel. The turf which Bord na Móna has for sale in the nearest area is not the kind of turf usually sold in Galway City. The Galway City trade is usually supplied with handwon turf and merchants in Galway should now take steps to ensure that they will get sufficient supplies for their customers later in the year. If they do not the fault will be their own.
In view of the fact that they have fallen down on this in the past, will the Minister take steps to see that Galway will have adequate supplies this winter?
I do not know whether the Deputy wants the Department of Industry and Commerce to take over the supplying of fuel. If he does, that raises a wider issue than that which is raised in the Deputy's question.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether, in view of the public concern in regard to shortages of fuel in Galway City during last winter, he will take steps now to prevent a recurrence of shortages during next winter.
While every effort is made to ensure adequate supplies of fuel to meet the requirements of the country as a whole there is no official control over the importation or distribution of available supplies. The securing of supplies for any particular area is, accordingly, a matter for arrangement by the fuel merchants concerned through the usual trade channels.