§ 18. Mr. O'LEARYasked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been called to a resolution of the Castletown Bere Board of Guardians asking for the Depart- 2087 ment's dredger to raise coral sand in Bantry Bay so as to provide farmers with an adequate supply of fertilising manure for the extra land they have already put, and are about to put, into cultivation; and whether the Department proposes to comply with the request in the resolution, expressing as it does the wishes and requirements of the farmers in the district?
§ The CHIEF SECRETARY for IRELAND (Mr. Duke)The Department of Agriculture have received copy of the resolution, and have informed the guardians that the dredger is not now available. Apart from this the proposal is hardly practicable. It would cost 10s. at least per ton to raise the sand by means of the dredger, and sand for manurial purposes at such a price is said to be unprofitable.
§ Mr. O'LEARYHas the Department made any local inquiries as to the raising of coral sand, and I have reason to believe that the sand can be raised at 1s. per ton at a profit?
§ Mr. DUKEIt would be greatly to the advantage of the people in the neighbour-hood if that could be done. If they are ready to pay anything like 10s. a ton for the sand raised by the Board of Agriculture it is evident that there is a considerable profit in it if the sand can be raised at 1s. a ton.
§ Mr. O'LEARYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the local people have no facilities for raising sand, and that is the reason they require the Department's support to raise the sand?
§ Mr. DUKEThat is the gist of the whole matter. The experts of the Department find that it will cost at least 10s. a ton and probably more.