asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if sanction has been given during 1967 or 1968 to the installation in his Department or by any semi-State body for which he is responsible of heating or boiler equipment not using native fuel which would be a departure from the policy of using native fuels as outlined in Paragraph 9 of the White Paper of January, 1946, regarding the turf development programme.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Use of Native Fuel.
19.
To meet special horticultural requirements, sanction was given, on the basis of technical advice, for the installation by my Department of a central heating system not using native fuel at the Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, and at the proposed new horticultural college at Ballysop, Co. Wexford. The oilheating system sanctioned in these cases is similar to that deemed technically required in general commercial horticulture and horticultural research.
Is this the beginning of a breakdown in the use of turf for this purpose?
As far as I am concerned I have always supported the idea of native fuel and of Bord na Móna and its work and in my capacity as Minister for this Department or any other Department I will continue to bear that in mind. There are in these two cases, however, technical reasons why oil rather than solid fuel should be used. The best technical advice has brought me, reluctantly, to the conclusion that this must be allowed.
Is the Minister not aware that giving sanction for the use of oil in his Department will make it difficult for other Ministers to prevent similar applications being granted in their Departments? Does the Minister not appreciate as well as everybody else the necessity for continuing employment on the bogs, which could be destroyed if this policy of switching to oil were to become widespread?
The technical advisers I mention took into account employment given, for instance, in so far as the horticultural college is concerned and the Botanic Gardens. In all our commercial glasshouses throughout the country oil is being used. This is for certain technical reasons of which I am not competent to judge. I must take the advice given when it is fairly weighty. Since those colleges, the Botanic Gardens and the glasshouses are used for the education of those who will in future help to make our glasshouse industry a better industry and will create employment, it is strongly held that we should train our people in the type of glasshouses heated with the type of installation with which they will be dealing at a later stage.
Is the Minister not aware that the encouragement given in the colleges to the people training seems to be to the effect that Irish fuel is no good and that we must use imported oil?
We must get a balance here. If the commercial and technical requirements of the glasshouse industry, in order that it shall survive and expand if at all possible, dictate the use of oil burning installations then it would be stupid on our part to train personnel, technicians and others, in the use of other fuels which are not and will not be used in the production of glasshouse crops.
So, the cheapest free heat in the country down on the bogs goes away into the sky? You are not using it at all?
No, that is not what I said. Bord na Móna will continue to use the bogs.
20.
asked the Minister for Local Government if sanction has been given during 1967 or 1968 to the installation in his Department or by any semi-State body for which he is responsible of heating or boiler equipment not using native fuel which would be a departure from the policy of using native fuels as outlined in Paragraph 9 of the White Paper of January, 1946, regarding the turf development programme.
The answer is no, so far as my Department and semi-State bodies for which I am responsible are concerned.