asked the Minister for Energy the reason for the current shortage of turf briquettes and the steps being taken to ensure that this shortage will be relieved immediately.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Shortage of Turf Briquettes.
13.
The growth in demand for briquettes has been such that for some time the production capacity of Bord na Móna's three briquetting factories, which is 360,000 tonnes per annum, has been insufficient to cope with the demand.
A fourth briquette factory with a designed capacity of 130,000 tonnes per annum which is being built at Littleton, County Tipperary, is expected to commence production early in 1981.
Bog development operations and plant design are in progress to provide for the production of an additional 260,000 tonnes of briquettes per annum from a factory based on the Derryfadda group of bogs in Counties Galway and Roscommon. This factory is scheduled to commence production in 1984. When the additional factories are in full production, by about 1987, the total Bord na Móna briquette production will be 750,000 tonnes per annum or more than double existing production.
Does the Minister feel that the shortage problem is solely related to increased demand? Is he aware that the comment in the Annual Report of Bord na Móna states that there was a reduction of just over 10 per cent in sales and that this was attributable to a shortfall in the production target and that, while there may be an increase in demand, there was also a drop in production?
Is the Deputy referring to briquettes or sod peat?
Bord na Móna indicated that it was in regard to the sale of briquettes. At 317,065 tonnes, it was a reduction of just over 10 per cent on the previous year's figures and this was attributable to the shortfall in the production target. My question relates to the reasons for the drop in production which apparently contributed to the shortage of briquettes.
The Deputy will be aware that there was an overall fall in production in Bord na Móna last year largely because of the unprecedented bad weather. I have also drawn the Deputy's attention to the steps which are being taken, some of which will bear fruit early next year by increasing the production of briquettes.
In relation to the excellent decision of the Government to built a briquette factory at Ballyforan, could the Minister see to it that that would be expedited? The Government agreed on this in 1979. It is a very good decision. It is costing about £25 million. Would the Minister give this matter top priority because it is in my constituency and it is very important?
(Interruptions.)
I was responsible for asking the Government to provide it and the Opposition people, including Senator Connaughton, were opposed to it.
Apart from the fact that the location of this briquette factory is in Deputy Leyden's constituency, it should be expedited anyway in the national interest and I will endeavour to expedite it.
Is the Minister aware of Bord na Móna's view that part of the reason for the strong growth in demand for turf briquettes is what the board regards as the excessively low price of this form of fuel? Has the Minister got an opinion about that?
Does the Deputy want to increase the price?
I was expecting that sort of cheap jibe from those technological giants over there.
(Interruptions.)
Order, please.
The Government have been led for three months by one of the great thinkers of all time and we have never seen such a flock of price increases as those since the 7th or 8th of December.
Let us stop there and give the real Taoiseach a chance.
(Interruptions.)
The Deputies should pay attention to the serious matter of Questions.
May I ask a supplementary question?
Why?
Because we have moved on to Question No. 14.
(Interruptions.)
I asked the Minister a supplementary question but he did not get a chance to answer it because his colleague on the back benches would not allow him to do so. We do not know who gives the orders now and who makes predictions from the backbenches.
I urged the Minister not to allow an increase in the price of briquettes, which the Deputy was advocating.
I asked the Minister if he had a view on the opinion of the board that the reason why the demand for briquettes grew so steeply was because they were underpriced.
The question of pricing policy not just in relation to briquettes but in relation to other forms of energy, and the extent to which such prices should be energy-related is part of the overall review of energy policy which I am carrying out. This will include briquettes as well as other forms of energy.
Is the Minister aware that customers are totally dissatisfied with the way Bord na móna sell briquettes and turf?
I am not so aware but it appears to me to be a matter far removed from the subject matter of Question No. 13.
It is as much related to it as was the supplementary question by Deputy Leyden, who was allowed and even encouraged to put the question.