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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 5 Mar 1959

Vol. 173 No. 5

Committee on Finance. - Turf Development Bill, 1959—Money Resolution.

I move:—

That for the purpose of any Act of the present session to amend and extend the Turf Development Acts, 1946 to 1958, it is expedient to authorise:—

(1) the advance to Bord na Móna out of the Central Fund or the growing produce thereof of such sums not exceeding in the aggregate £5,000,000, as the board may from time to time request;

(2) the charge on and payment out of the Central Fund or the growing produce thereof of all moneys from time to time required to meet payments required to be made by the Minister for Finance to the board in respect of any stock taken up by him under such Act;

(3) the advance out of the Central Fund or the growing produce thereof of all moneys from time to time required by the Minister for Finance to meet sums which may become payable under any guarantee given by him under such Act;

(4) the repayment to the Central Fund out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas of moneys advanced out of that fund to meet sums which may become payable under any guarantee given by the Minister for Finance and not repaid within 12 months from the date of the advance; and

(5) the charge on and payment out of the Central Fund or the growing produce thereof of the principal of and interest on any securities issued under such Act by the Minister for Finance.

I wonder if the Minister would be in a position to collate, from the beginning, how much capital has actually been invested in Bord na Móna?

To date, just £14,000,000.

That includes everything?

Yes—and this is to increase the limit up to £19,000,000.

Does that include the various Grants-in-Aid made in the early stages of the body which was the Turf Development Board?

Speaking from recollection, I do not think there were any Grants-in-Aid. There were certain debts of the other board which were taken over and all of which were repaid.

Has the Minister resolved the row that has taken place over the past number of years between Bord na Móna and the E.S.B.?

This has reference only to money to be used.

My belief is that there would be no need for this Money Resolution for Bord na Móna if the functions with which Bord na Móna are charged were subject to the one authority, that is, a fuel authority.

That is very naïve but——

It is not naïve. This means that a lot of money is being wasted because of duplication between the E.S.B. and Bord na Móna. One set of engineers in the E.S.B. suggest that the Bord na Móna plans are not correct——

The Deputy may not proceed along that line.

Could the Minister say at this stage when it is anticipated that the first of the two new briquetting factories will be completed and in production?

Question put and agreed to.
Money Resolution reported and agreed to.
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