asked the Minister for Supplies if, in view of the unsatisfactoriness of green timber and turf as fuel for the threshing of the very large corn harvest this year, and the danger of fire attendant on their use in steam threshers, he will make available either coal or seasoned timber for this season's threshings.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Coal for Threshing.
I cannot accept the implication that turf and timber are not satisfactory fuels for threshing purposes. That the contrary is the case is borne out by the general experience of the last few seasons.
In the existing critical supply situation it is not possible to make coal available, other than to a limited extent for the movement of threshing sets from farm to farm. The question of procuring suitable timber for use in the actual threshing operations is one for the farmers themselves.
Is the Minister aware that I am speaking for one of the biggest tillage areas in the State, and that the farmers there have nothing but inferior turf or green timber for the threshings? Is the Minister aware that timber is very scarce in parts of the County Wexford? There are some places where you cannot get it. I have attended some threshings this year myself. I have been in haggards and have seen the steam dying down two, three or four times in the one day. That means the work of all hands at the threshings is stopped until steam is got up again. The result is that it takes 12 hours to do eight hours' threshing. I would ask the Minister to try to relieve the situation a bit, especially in South Wexford and in parts of North Wexford where there is neither turf nor timber.
The situation with regard to coal is as critical now as ever it was, and I can hold out no prospect of coal being again available.
I am not talking of coal. Will the Minister release some of the seasoned timber he has?
The provision of timber for actual threshings is the responsibility of individual farmers.