On today's Order Paper the following Question to the Minister for Industry and Commerce appeared in the names of Deputy Dr. Browne and myself:
To ask the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether any fixed policy has been prescribed by him in relation to the use of native fuels for the heating of buildings of State-sponsored bodies which are under the aegis of his Department: whether he is aware that it is proposed to instal oil heating in the new headquarters building of Córas Tráchtála and Bord Fáilte; and whether in order to facilitate maximum employment in the production of native fuels he will take whatever steps are necessary to secure maximum use of such fuel by these bodies.
The Minister's reply was:
All State-sponsored bodies for which my Department is responsible have been urged to give preference to the utmost practicable extent to native fuel. I understand from the bodies concerned that because of the restricted space available there were practical difficulties in the way of arranging that the buildings referred to by the Deputies would be heated by solid fuel.
The first thing I should like to say is that I presume that when he gave that reply he felt that any answer was better than no answer. The best and most charitable comment I can make is that I believe all Deputies are in full agreement that the maximum utilisation should be made of native fuels, and I accept the fact that the Government are sincere in their desire to see Irish turf and Irish coal used to the maximum extent. The same applies to the Opposition Parties in the House.
There is a difference between expressing a wish that this would be done and actually ensuring that, in so far as it is possible, the wish of the Government is carried out. I want to put it to the Minister for Industry and Commerce now that, in spite of the wishes of the Government in this matter, and what the Minister describes as the urging of the Government to these State and semi-State bodies, he has received no heed whatsoever from the two bodies referred to in the question—Córas Tráchtála and Bord Fáilte. The Minister's colleague, the Minister for Transport and Power, in a speech recently described the excellent progress made by one of our State bodies, Bord na Móna, in the production of an ideal fuel for industrial buildings, hotels or other such structures. I cannot do better here than quote the Minister for Transport and Power because his powers of description are far ahead of any that I possess. The Minister for Transport and Power spoke last November at a ceremony in the Gresham Hotel, Dublin, and I quote from the Irish Times of November 24th last:
Speaking at the official opening of the turf-burning boiler installation in the Gresham Hotel, the Minister said the directors of the Gresham must be trebly complimented. They had raised their heating standards, had reduced their expenditure on fuel, proving they were good businessmen and, because they had done this by native fuel, they had proved they were good Irishmen.
The report says the Minister urged other Irish hotel owners to follow this example and thus benefit themselves and Irish industry. He pointed out that the advances in the technological aspects of turf utilisation had been spectacular, that a few years ago turf had been regarded as a fuel which would be used only in an emergency. This had now changed, and turf could stand up to any competition, particularly with regard to cost. He showed how proud he was at the steps taken by private enterprise in changing over from oil and coal in the hotel business to the utilisation of native fuels like turf.
While the Minister for Transport and Power was making that speech, Bord Fáilte and Córas Tráchtála together were in process of erecting a new palatial building here in Dublin and the heating system was to be worked on a foreign fuel—oil. Is it any wonder that Deputy Childers felt highly embarrassed afterwards when what was happening with regard to two State bodies was brought to his attention? He had described the action of the Gresham Hotel directors as being patriotic, describing the men responsible as being good Irishmen.
In what language can we describe the Irishmen who at that very moment were engaged in installing oil heating equipment in the headquarters of two State bodies for which the Minister for Industry and Commerce is responsible? According to the Minister for Industry and Commerce, he urged that they give preference to the utmost extent practicable to native fuels. His answer to me in the House today was:
I understand from the bodies concerned that because of the restricted space available there were practical difficulties in the way of arranging that the buildings referred to by the Deputies would be heated by solid fuel.
Let us again listen to Deputy Childers on that subject. At the Gresham ceremony he added that it was not only in hotels of the size and grade of the Gresham that heating by turf fuel was feasible. He said that no matter how small an establishment might be, it was possible to solve its heating problems by using turf fuel. Even in hotels which, for some reason, could not instal central heating, the use of briquette-run heaters would provide an economical and satisfactory mode of heating.
There, the Minister for Transport and Power pointed out that, even though the building concerned was not as busy as the Gresham, Bord na Móna were still in a position to provide it with native fuel at an economic cost. Yet the Minister for Industry and Commerce had the audacity to give us a reply here today to the effect that there were practical difficulties in the way of Córas Tráchtála and Bord Fáilte installing turf-burning equipment because of the restricted space available in the building.
This new building is being erected in Lower Baggot Street. To my knowledge it is a five-storey building on a new site. The first three floors will be under the control of Bord Fáilte and the remaining two under the control of Córas Tráchtála. I presume the plans for the building were laid out by an architect, who consulted the chiefs of Córas Tráchtála and Bord Fáilte, and that architect had to decide whether turf or oil would be used. I presume the Minister responsible for those two State companies, or at least his officials, were asked to decide whether turf or oil would be used. Surely it would have been possible to secure in the initial stages that the building would be laid out to do what the Minister for Transport and Power suggests: utilise heaters or, if that is not feasible a boiler system based on the use of native fuel. But to say at this stage that the restricted space available did not allow the utilisation of native fuel is an insult to this House and to a first class State body like Bord na Móna. I think it highlights the complete lack of regard some of these State bodies have for the opinions of this House and for the wishes of the Government of the day.
One of these bodies is charged with bringing visitors to this country and of subsidising hotels to make facilities available for visitors. Even though that body set the bad example by not using native fuel themselves, they had the audacity to turn up at a function in the Gresham and say it was a great thing to use native fuel. The other body, Córas Tráchtála, was set up to relieve the balance of payments position by promoting increased exports, giving increased employment at home and reducing our dependence on imports. But instead of setting a good example, they are, shall I say, causing the balance of payments position to deteriorate by being responsible for the import of foreign fuel while a first class fuel is available at home along with the technical advice of another State company.
I seriously suggest to the Minister that he should ask for the resignation without delay of the chiefs of both of these State bodies. We cannot hope that private enterprise will utilise native fuel and equipment if a bad example is set by State bodies. I do not know why these two companies decided on the use of oil. I can only surmise that it is a result of the social life led here in Dublin, a result of the contacts, the cocktail parties, and the back-hands that the decision was come to. Somebody made a nice commission on the job. I do not believe five minutes' consideration was given to the utilisation of native fuel. I think we will teach these people a lesson by spotlighting in this House their lack of true patriotism by failing to utilise turf. I should like the Minister to tell us, when replying, why it was found impossible when planning this building to make the necessary arrangements to instal equipment using native fuel.
