Vol. 402 No. 9
7 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Energy if his attention has been drawn to public concern that some smokeless fuels on sale may cause serious damage to fire grates; if he has any plans to issue advice to the public regarding the correct use of these fuels; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
39 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Energy if his attention has been drawn to the problems which consumers are experiencing with the new smokeless fuels in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
41 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for Energy if he has satisfied himself that sufficient supplies of low smoke fuels are available this winter; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 7, 39 and 41 together.
I am satisfied that there are sufficient supplies of low smoke fuel to meet demand this winter. Meetings took place with the main solid fuel distributors over the summer to ensure that plans for adequate supplies of smokeless fuel were in place. My Department continue to be in regular contact with the distributors and are informed that there are ample supplies of low-smoke solid fuels available as specified under the Air Pollution Regulations.
I am aware that the various solid fuels now on sale in Dublin have characteristics somewhat different to bituminous coal and a period of adjustment to these fuels was to have been expected. Certain solid fuels may not be all that suitable for standard grates and should only be used when mixed with high ash fuel. Eolas, in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, have produced a full range of information on how to get the best out of these fuels both in terms of heating effectiveness and suitability.
As I am anxious that all solid fuels be suitable, my Department has been in consultation with the Department of Industry and Commerce and the Department of the Environment on the matter.
Is the Minister aware that petro-coke fuels on sale in this country have been proven to be dangerous in Great Britain, where they have been banned for domestic use because they are designed for commercial heating systems? Could the Minister tell me what steps he is taking to publicise this information so that people will not be faced with the prospect of burnt out back boilers and damaged fireplaces and chimneys and the real threat of fire through over-heated chimney flues?
As the Deputy knows, a number of different Departments are involved with safety aspects, including my own Department, the Department of the Environment and the Department of Industry and Commerce. I am aware that this problem exists with petroleum cokes. I have before me the Eolas leaflet which says that with petroleum cokes which produce virtually no ash there is a contrasting concern due to the intensity of heat in the firebed without any shielding effect from ash. As a result, if used alone, petroleum cokes can cause severe damage to grates. When I said in my reply that I was consulting other Departments in the matter, what I intended there was to see whether it might be necessary to introduce some legislation to ensure that petroleum cokes are not sold on their own. Maybe it would be more appropriate that they should be mixed with some other fuel when they are offered to the public for sale. They are being used incorrectly by a number of people and they have this effect of intense heat and cracking of some grates.
Would the Minister not agree that this problem could have been avoided if the Department had planned properly and provided a proper certification of the different fuels on the market? This was rushed and people are left with broken grates and burnt carpets for lack of planning by the Minister's Department and other associated Departments.
There have been a number of efforts. I have here the information leaflets and these are available through coal distributors. It is always a problem to get the exact information to every single individual who may decide to use a particular fuel and, in view of that, I am asking that the matter be looked at again.
Is the Minister aware that there are hundreds of homes around Dublin with the brickwork cracked because of use of the recommended fuels, Coalite and Black Diamond, the ones recommended by the Department and the Minister? Why has it taken so long? Information is coming in now. The Government seem to be acting on an ad hoc basis. Eolas must be called in. New information must be disseminated. This ban has been in force for some considerable time now and no pre-arrangements seem to have been made. Will the Minister say that he will now ensure that there is enclosed with all this smokeless fuel a leaflet indicating exactly what should be done to use it properly?
I understand that the companies and the Department of the Environment undertook a publicity campaign where they gave out the required information in regard to these fuels. We are in a transitional period and it was expected that some difficulties would arise during the course of the changeover. Unfortunately, there are some people who have not paid heed to the warnings that have issued. This is a matter that I have asked the other Departments to have a look at to see if there is anything further they can do to bring the message home to such people. It is important to stress that we are not dealing with bituminous coal and they have different burning characteristics. There is a need for the distributors or the suppliers of the fuel to pass on the accurate information on these fuels to the people buying them.
In view of the severe energy crisis which this planet faces and in view of the fact that open fires are notoriously inefficient, would the Minister say what his Department are doing to encourage the use of closed stoves as opposed to open fires? This would also solve the problem of cracking grates.
I agree with the Deputy that the correct way to burn a lot of these fuels is in closed fireplaces. That is where you get the most efficient use of the particular fuel, and I would highly recommend that.
The Minister should have told people that in the first place.
Would the Minister not agree that there has been a severe breakdown in communications between his Department and the Department of the Environment, whose policy of rushing through the banning of the marketing, sale and distribution of bituminous coal has resulted in the fact, admitted by the Minister, that there are dangerous fuels for sale on the Dublin market, such as petrol coke fuels, which are being used incorrectly; and that there is an obligation on the Minister for the Environment and the Minister for Energy to alert the public to the threat to their lives from using petrol coke in an undiluted form?
The Deputies seem to have discovered this just recently. This is not new information.
I have known that for a while.
Leaflets in this regard have been distributed a long time ago and warnings have been issued over a period of time. Petrol cokes should not be used on their own.
On a point of order, in relation to priority questions, for example, Question No. 4, which is taken with other questions in ordinary time, the discussion is limited because they are taken in priority time. I am looking for a direction from the Chair as to what the position would be in the event of an Opposition spokesman putting down a priority question and other Deputies wishing to discuss the matter under other questions. The possibility of backbenchers discussing the matter is prejudiced by reason of the fact that it has to be discussed in priority time. There were about six questions on Bord na Móna capital structure which——
Rules governing priority questions are very well set out in the Standing Orders of the House.
The Deputy should ask his Chief Whip.
