asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if, in view of the large undeveloped tracts of turbary in the Pettigo district of County Donegal, he will request Bord na Móna to develop the area by the establishment of a machine-won turf plant.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Machine-won Turf Plant for Donegal.
I am informed by Bord na Móna that, so far as they are aware, there is no area of bog in the Pettigo district suitable for production of turf by the fully mechanised method. On that account the district has not been included in the board's permanent development programme.
With regard to the production of turf by semi-automatic machines, it is considered that all available equipment can best be employed on bogs which have already been developed for this purpose. Should it be decided to extend operations under the semi-automatic machine scheme, the suitability of bogs in the Pettigo district will be fully investigated by the board.
In view of the fact that the Minister has stated already that we are not going to get electricity to Pettigo and we cannot have industry without electricity, will the Minister ask Bord na Móna to reconsider their decision and reinvestigate the possibility of developing machine-won turf in this particular area?
The production of turf by the fully mechanised method seems to be ruled out on technical grounds. If the semi-automatic machine scheme should be extended, the board have undertaken to reconsider getting it to Pettigo.