asked the Minister for Supplies if he is aware that national schools that have anthracite stoves installed have been refused permits for anthracite, and that turf or wood cannot be burned in these stoves; and whether, in order to avoid the closing of the schools, he will grant permits for the purchase of anthracite.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Anthracite for Schools.
I am aware that permits for the purchase of anthracite for use in anthracite heating stoves have been refused not only in the case of national schools, but in the case of institutions generally throughout the country. I cannot agree with the Deputy's assertion that turf or wood cannot be burned in anthracite stoves as experiments carried out by the Emergency Scientific Research Bureau at my request have established that slow combustion stoves are capable of burning low-grade fuels such as moist turf and sawdust without difficulty. In fact, it appears from the tests that have been made that these fuels were burned more efficiently in slow combustion stoves than would be possible in an open grate. The refusal of permits for the purchase of anthracite for anthracite heating stoves should not, therefore, as the Deputy suggests, lead to the closing down of national schools and I see no reason in view of the present critical position in regard to coal supplies to modify my present policy in this matter.
The Minister is really dodging the issue. You cannot burn fuel in a stove that is not designed for that fuel. To say you can burn turf or wood in an anthracite stove, with great respect to the Minister, is rubbish.
Criticism of a Minister is not a supplementary question.
Then I will leave it at that, but the Minister's reply is most unsatisfactory.
Does the reference to moist turf and sawdust exclude dry turf and wood?
No, I do not think so. These are only mentioned to show that you can burn practically anything in an anthracite stove.
Why then is reference specially made to moist turf and sawdust, if it is suggested that dry turf and wood can be burned?
Is the Minister aware that, outside the body he has referred to, everybody in the country who has tried to turn Esse stoves into turf-consuming stoves has always found it to be a complete failure?
I do not agree with that.
That is not so if you get the stove in proper order.