asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state the amount of drainage pipes which it is proposed to import for use in the land project during the year ending 31st December, 1953 (a) for his Department, (b) for contractors.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Drainage Pipes.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state (in volume and value) what orders have been given by his Department for drainage pipes during each month in 1952 (a) to concerns within the State, (b) to other concerns for imported pipes: and if he will further state whether any such orders have not been fulfilled, and, if so, to what extent and of what class of pipe.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will take steps to ensure that no imported drainage pipes are used for the land project save in so far as home manufacturers are unable to fulfil the demand.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 57, 58 and 59 together.
I consider that the expenditure of the considerable amount of official time which the compilation of the special statistics requested in the Deputy's questions would necessitate would not be justified. It is possible, however, to give the Deputy some general information.
It is the policy of my Department to import clay drainage pipes only to the extent necessary to make good the deficiency in home production. Concrete drainage pipes are not imported.
It is estimated that 20,000,000 drainage pipes are needed annually for the purposes of the land project. Of this total number, approximately 15,000,000 must be of the baked clay variety. The present estimated home production of clay drainage pipes is 5,000,000 pipes. It is necessary, therefore, to import 10,000,000 pipes annually.
This year orders were placed with continental concerns for 10,500,000 pipes.
No orders were placed either for home or for foreign-manufactured drainage pipes which were not fulfilled.
The question of placing orders with continental firms for drainage pipes during the year ending 31st December, 1953, is under consideration. It will probably be necessary to continue the policy of importing a sufficient quantity of pipes to meet the deficiency in home production.