asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether his attention has been called to the fact that, for three years, the Clare County Council were compelled to use, for their own county services, turf produced by themselves under the national scheme of turf production by county councils, whereas they could have obtained turf, during that period, from private contractors in Clare at an average price of £1 per ton less than the price paid; whether he is aware that the Clare County Council thereby incurred an additional expenditure on turf amounting to at least £25,000; if he will state on what grounds the county council was debarred from purchasing turf from private contractors; by whom this ban on purchasing from private contractors was imposed, and by whom it was removed in 1945, and the reasons for its removal; further, if he will state what steps are being taken to recoup the ratepayers of County Clare for their losses in this matter, and to prevent a recurrence.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Turf Production in County Clare.
I do not accept the implications contained in the Deputy's question. In view of the scarcity of fuel during the emergency it has been the duty of county councils, as of all those in a position to do so, to produce the maximum amount of turf within their competence. The question of the disposal of turf so produced is one which must be decided upon in the light of the general interest. At times the general interest has demanded that the Clare County Council should dispose of part of their production by meeting their own consumption requirements; at times it was desirable that the turf produced by the council should be wholly available to meet general needs leaving the council's requirements to be met by private producers. If the turf which the Clare County Council produced was more expensive than that produced by private producers that surely is the responsibility of the county council itself.