asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he has considered the likely effect of the curtailment of petrol and oil supplies on the availability and prices of (a) imported coal, (b) Irish coal, and (c) turf; and what steps he is taking to ensure an expansion in the production of coal and turf and to ensure the availability of adequate supplies of imported coal.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Fuel Supplies.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether, in view of the likely shortage of, and increase in the cost of, imported coal and fuel oil, he will ask Bord na Móna to expand urgently their production of turf.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 7 together. I have already referred in the Dáil yesterday to the position regarding petroleum products.
As regards imported coal, the position is that under the Anglo-Irish Trade Agreements of 1938 and 1948 a minimum annual supply of 1,570,000 tons of coal, coke and manufactured fuel from Great Britain is assured, and in order to avoid any seasonal shortages it has been my policy to insist that the coal importers so regulate their imports as to take up a large part of the allocation before the winter season commences. While I am carefully watching the position in view of the international situation, I see no grounds at present for any alarm about supplies.
With regard to the remaining parts of the questions, I have frequently, and again within recent weeks, impressed on Irish colliery proprietors the urgent necessity of increasing coal production. In this connection I would remind the Deputy of the tax concessions for coal mines recently announced by the Taoiseach which are designed to stimulate increased coal production.
As regards turf, the production of machine won turf by Bord na Móna is a long-term project which requires considerable preliminary development work and, in view of this, and of the seasonal nature of the board's operations, output cannot be suddenly expanded. Since its establishment, however, annual production by the board has shown a consistent increase, and the Deputy may be assured that the board's capacity to produce machine-won turf has been, and will be, exercised to the fullest possible extent. I have no doubt that, should the need arise, hand-won turf production will also be increased.
Would the Minister consider the feasibility of again consulting with the Irish colliery proprietors in the light of the present situation and asking them if there is any possibility of a step-up in production this winter?
I can assure the Deputy that in the discussions with the colliery owners which took place within the past three weeks I emphasised to the colliery owners not only my desire that they should produce more coal so as to render us less dependent on imported supplies especially of anthracite coal but that they should now take off their coats and avail of the facilities made available to them to step-up their coal production with the assurance that substantial tax concessions would accompany an increase in their output. I shall continue to emphasise that point of view to the colliery owners.
Can the Minister indicate when these tax concessions will come into operation?
I introduced the Bill yesterday.
Could the Tánaiste not inform Deputy MacBride that it is a little bit late to consider the effect of turning over electricity production to oil instead of turf, and that that question should have been considered and settled in the right fashion when Deputy MacBride was a Minister in the Coalition Government?
That is a separate question.
Is it not a fact that three collieries in the Arigna coalfield have shut down because of the policy the Government has been pursuing?
That is a falsehood worthy of the Deputy.
(Interruptions).
I just wanted to ask the Ceann Comhairle if he has heard what the Tánaiste has said?
That has been ruled to be parliamentary long ago.
Yes, I heard it.
Of course the Minister is at liberty in this House to conduct himself as if in a tap-room but I am putting a question to the Chair——
It is in a circus the Deputy should be.
Order!
The Tánaiste has accused me of deliberately stating something which to my knowledge is untrue.
"Falsehood" does not connote that meaning at all.
I am afraid we shall have to consult the dictionary.
The Oxford Dictionary.
In order to be considered as attributing a lie the statement, must be qualified by the word "deliberate". The will of the Deputy must go with the statement.
I merely meant that the Deputy was talking through his hat.
I know the Minister finds it hard to distinguish between a lie and his hat.