asked the Minister for Defence if sanction has been given during 1967 or 1968 to the installation in his Department or by any semi-State body for which he is responsible of heating or boiler equipment not using native fuel which would be a departure from the policy of using native fuels as outlined in Paragraph 9 of the White Paper of January, 1946 regarding the turf development programme.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Use of Native Fuel.
30.
Sanction was given in my Department in 1967 for the installation of an oil-fired central heating boiler serving the Operating Theatre at St. Bricin's Hospital, Dublin. The oil-fired boiler was approved in this instance because of the special requirements of the theatre and the difficulty in the particular location of installing a turf-burning boiler.
Would the Minister be able to say if it is a common practice throughout the country to have oil-fired boilers for other hospitals for the same purpose or is it not true that turf is burned in most local authority hospitals?
In many very large hospitals, yes, but this is a small hospital and I was advised that for technical reasons an oil-fired boiler should be installed.
Would the Minister not agree that as it is a small hospital a small amount of turf would be required and there would be no storage problem?
I can assure the Deputy that two-turf burning boilers were sanctioned for military barracks around the same time.
There would be no turf only for this Government.
If you had your way there would be no turf now.
There would be no turf available only for this Party. The White Paper was issued by this Government in 1946 and you opposed it tooth and nail.
You were not here.
I know who was here.
Would the Minister for Local Government look after his own Department and not be a Jack of all Trades?
(Interruptions.)
Order.
They are on the slippery slope anyway.