asked the Minister for Transport and Power the amounts of native and imported fuel, respectively, used by the Electricity Supply Board and the costs in each case.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Electricity Supply Board: Use of Native and Imported Fuel.
21.
The amount of native fuel and imported fuels used by the Electricity Supply Board in any period may vary according to demand for current and conditions of hydro-generation and turf supplies.
The particulars required by the Deputy, in so far as they are available, are set out in the Annual Reports of the Board which have been presented in the Oireachtas. The information for the year 1958/59, which is the latest year available, is contained in Appendix VI and Account No. 1 of the Report for that year.
In view of the importance attached by the Government to the giving of priority to the use of native raw material, would the Minister consider it desirable to make that information available in the form of a reply rather than by reference to documents which are not available to the general public?
This is a document which is available to the general public. It is the 32nd Annual Report of the E.S.B. The particulars sought are set out very clearly in it.
Must the general public pay 2/6d., 3/-. 5/-, or whatever the cost may be, for the Annual Report in order to obtain information which should be available to this House in the form of a reply to a Parliamentary Question?
Deputy Breen asked the question. The Report is available to him.
I may ask a similar question and I will expect a better answer than that.