Vol. 192 No. 8
asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether in view of the fact that the Castlecomer collieries are a long-established local industry giving employment in the Kilkenny area, and in view of representations made by Kilkenny Corporation, he will permit Kilkenny people who receive free fuel under the Government Free Fuel Scheme to substitute locally-produced coal for turf or timber where preferred by the recipients.
94.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will sanction the use of Castlecomer coal as an alternative to timber or turf on the vouchers issued by Kilkenny Corporation to persons entitled to vouchers under the Free Fuel Scheme.
I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to answer Questions Nos. 93 and 94 together.
Under existing legislation, urban authorities operating cheap fuel schemes are empowered to use only turf or timber for issue under the schemes and I have no power to authorise them to use coal.
The issue of free fuel is confined under the schemes to recipients of home assistance and if the local public assistance authority wishes to issue Castlecomer coal as assistance-in-kind to such persons, I have no objection to their doing so.
A false accusation has been made, Sir, by Deputy Sweetman arising out of Question No. 92 and I think he should withdraw it because I was not in Ennis that morning. I was at Shannon that night. It is absolutely removed from the truth.
I am informed that the Minister walked down the street in Ennis with his county councillors.
I was in Dublin——
Does the Minister deny it?
The Minister has denied it.
I am not talking to the Taoiseach.
If I am given the chance to speak, I will deny it. I was in Dublin until 6 o'clock on Friday. I went down the country and I was not in Clare until 9 o'clock that night.
It was on Saturday that they voted.
I was back here in Dublin on Saturday.
The Deputy should have the decency to accept what the Minister said.
The Minister for Posts and Telegraphs would not be any judge. Does the Minister for Education assure me that he was not in Ennis on Saturday morning?
I do not have to assure the Deputy but I assure the House that I was not in Ennis last week——
Then I withdraw unreservedly.
You sent Deputy Clohessy over there to do the job for you and you sent somebody down to Kilkenny.
Question No. 94.
I answered questions Nos. 93 and 94 together.
I did not hear the answer.
The Deputy's colleague would not allow him to hear the reply.
I could not hear the reply.
Due to the shouting by Deputy Sweetman, but I answered them when the Leas-Cheann Comhairle called them.
The Minister must be ashamed of them.
Would you allow me to have the question answered, Sir?
The Minister has answered them.
This has a bearing on an important industry in Kilkenny.
Question No. 95.
