asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state: (a) the cost per ton of producing turf at the pick-up point on the bog in County Mayo; (b) the cost per ton of loading and unloading at the bog and the rail-head; (c) the cost of transport from the bog to the rail-head; (d) the charge per ton by rail to Dublin; (e) the cost of unloading into lorries at Dublin; (f) the cost of transport to dumps; (g) the cost of unloading and stacking at the dump; and (h) the percentage of wastage.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Turf Statistics.
The answers to the Deputy's question, which I assume refers to turf produced by the Mayo County Council, so far as (a) to (d) is concerned, are as follows:—(a) 26/6, (b) 2/10, (c) 8/6, (d) 21/6. The combined cost of the operations (e), (f) and (g), i.e., from railhead to ricking in the dumps is 8/10½; this figure cannot be broken down, as the operations in questions are ordinarily covered by one contract entered into as the result of competitive tenders. These figures do not include any provision for overheads. The average wastage—query (h)—is estimated at approximately 12 per cent, including turf delivered direct to merchants and turf delivered to turf dumps.
In regard to (h), will the Minister say if 12 per cent. is a fair average to allow for the turf received from all the counties, or does it apply only to Mayo?
It applies to all the counties.