asked the Minister for Supplies if he is aware that at the end of last week there was only one ton of turf for sale in the village of Swords, County Dublin; whether he is aware that the haulier to whom petrol for the haulage of fuel was supplied has to bring turf from the dump, which takes from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to get a load to Swords; and whether, in view of the plight of the poor people in Swords, he will take steps to ensure that a reasonable supply of fuel will be made available to them.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Fuel Supplies.
No representations have been made to me regarding a fuel shortage in Swords district, which is served by two local licensed fuel merchants as well as by Dublin City merchants. Regarding the second portion of the Deputy's question, I cannot understand why it takes from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to bring a load of turf by lorry from the dumps to Swords, and I suggest the Deputy should give more details in support of his assertion.
If evidence is forthcoming that the poor people in Swords are finding difficulty in procuring supplies of turf and that the existing trade is insufficient to cope with the fuel requirements of the district, I will be prepared to permit the Swords Parish Council to purchase a supply of turf to be sold during the winter through the medium of a licensed fuel merchant, and, if necessary, I will grant a fuel merchant's licence to any individual nominated by the parish council to enable him to sell the turf so purchased.
Mr. Byrne
asked the Minister for Supplies if he will state what arrangements are being made to safeguard a supply of turf or logs within a reasonable distance of the customers' homes; if he is aware that, in the event of severe snow or frost, the 400 animal-drawn fuel carts will be unable to draw supplies from the Alexandra Basin; and if he will cause the immediate removal of at least one month's supply of turf to dépots nearer the centres of consumption.
As the Deputy is aware, supplies of turf on a considerable scale have been removed from the areas in which it was produced to the City of Dublin and other centres in the non-turf area. This turf is stored within as reasonable a distance of consumers' homes as fuel is in normal times. The incidence of severe snow or frost will not impose upon animal-drawn fuel carts drawing turf from the Alexandra Basin handicaps which they would not have had to face in drawing supplies of coal from merchants' yards. The removal of the turf dumps from Alexandra Basin to other sites elsewhere in the city would raise difficult problems in relation to the acquisition of sites, the provision of transport and the safeguarding of the turf in the new dumps and would involve such a substantial addition to the cost of providing such turf as to put it beyond the reach of the average consumer.
I am, however, prepared to make arrangements with parish councils within the city area, similar to those made with parish councils in suburban areas, which desired to store within their areas supplies of turf against the danger of the ordinary machinery of distribution breaking down temporarily through exceptional causes. These parish councils have been granted permits to purchase supplies of turf, for the storage and safe keeping of which they will be responsible, and which would be released for sale to domestic users through a person nominated by the parish council, to whom a fuel merchant's licence would be granted.
Mr. Byrne
Is the Minister aware that, at the present moment, there are women, carrying empty sacks under their arms, going round the City of Dublin trying to purchase a shilling's worth of turf or wood blocks, and that they cannot get them? Is he further aware that these horse-drawn vehicles— ponies and donkeys with shoes so worn out that they will not be able to get them caulked in the event of frost— cannot travel the four miles to Alexandra Basin to bring up turf to the City of Dublin; and will the Minister see that dépôts are distributed more fairly than at present? It is not right for the Minister to say that the same terms are available as to those looking for coal, as the coal to Donnelly's used to come up to Butt Bridge and be loaded there to bellmen, who now have to travel three miles more in the cold and wet. Will he see that the women will not have to go round, carrying sacks, looking for a shilling's worth of fuel?
The Government, with a great deal of trouble and organisation, have brought into Dublin huge stocks of turf to constitute a fuel reserve for the winter, and now the only observation of Deputies is that the dumps are in the wrong places. Surely, Deputies appreciate the difficulty of establishing in Dublin these huge stocks of turf? They cannot be stored in O'Connell Street. To be properly protected, they must be stored in places where there is suitable accommodation. It is not physically possible to shift these dumps to other places without immense cost in transport and a substantial addition to the price of turf.
Mr. Byrne
In view of the Minister's unsatisfactory statement and the seriousness of the position, I propose, with your permission, to raise the matter on the adjournment of the House.
In regard to parish councils, would the Minister say when the policy of the Government changed in regard to parish councils in the City of Dublin? Has not the policy of the Government been to discourage parish councils in the City of Dublin and, in many instances, to ignore them?
That bears no relation to the question on the Order Paper.
Is the Minister not aware that he has indicated to Deputy Byrne now, that in certain circumstances he will make arrangements with them?
The Deputy has the same right, as regards putting down questions, as any other Deputy.
Arising out of the reference to parish councils, I want to know if the Government's attitude has changed in regard to parish councils in the city?
That is a separate question.