Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 10 May 2001

Vol. 536 No. 1

Written Answers - Bituminous Products.

Enda Kenny

Question:

126 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the extent of bitumen and tar sales here in each of the past five years; if he will outline the increased cost of bitumen per unit in the past five years; the technical quality of the product; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13378/01]

Minister for the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Dempsey)

Information on the annual sales of bituminous products is not available in my Department. Petroleum bitumen is used in two forms. Penetration grade bitumen is used in the manufacture of road pavement materials and bitumen emulsions are used in the surface dressing of new and existing roads. Tar is no longer used in road pavement maintenance. The most commonly used bitumen emulsion product is cationic bitumen emulsion – 70% binder content – for which the average January prices per tonne was £145.66 in 1997, £137.35 in 1998, £132.71 in 1999, £172.95 in 2000 and £186.80 in 2001. Costs of bitumen, an oil based product, reflect prevailing international oil prices.

The National Roads Authority advertises for suppliers to tender for the supply of bituminous emulsion products to local authorities twice a year, in December and June. An approved list of suppliers is made available by the NRA to local authorities, and they generally enter into arrangements with supplier(s) for the supply of bituminous products for six months. The quality of bitumen emulsion is monitored on behalf of the NRA. This involves testing samples of products supplied to local authorities. My Department pro vides a contribution to the NRA for the non-national road element of such testing. The NRA monitors the test results and has the power to suspend a supplier from the approved list should they fail to supply bitumen to the standard of the NRA's specification requirements.

Questions Nos. 127 and 128 answered with Question No. 119.