asked the Minister for Finance if he will state in respect of the financial year ended 31st March, 1962 (1) the cost of maintenance and upkeep of the Phoenix Park, Dublin, (2) the income to the State from this property, indicating the sources, and (3) the total amount of fertiliser applied to the land, the amount per acre applied, and the cost.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Phoenix Park.
28.
The cost of maintenance of the public areas of the Phoenix Park for the year ended 31st March, 1962, was approximately £58,000. The receipts for the same period amounted to about £5,000 from sports pavilions, car park, sale of timber, licences, grazing and other rents.
Forty tons of ground limestone were applied experimentally to a selected plot of 20 acres of the open grazing area during the year at a cost of £36.
Was no artificial fertiliser applied? That is the question I asked.
We applied ground limestone. That is all I am aware of.
From rags to riches and riches to rags.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary not agree, in view of the fact that the Minister for Agriculture is continually exhorting farmers to put fertiliser on their land, that this is a very bad example to give them?
Surely that is an argument?
The Deputy should appreciate that Phoenix Park land has limited usage and would not be comparable with an ordinary farm.
Limestone without fertiliser enriches the farmer and beggars the land.
Soccer and other football players do not want limestone.
No, but cattle do.
(Interruptions.)
Order.