asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if, having regard to the very serious international situation and also in view of the large scale employment given by the turf industry, he will request all county councils to resume turf cutting in the coming year in order to safeguard supplies of fuel in the event of an emergency.

The problem of increasing the production of turf in 1951 and subsequent years is under active consideration at the moment.

In view of the likelihood of a very serious fuel shortage, would the Parliamentary Secretary and the Government undertake to notify all county councils with the least possible delay if it is the Government's policy to have county council schemes of turf production during the coming year?

Come over to Fianna Fáil.

There is no immediate danger of a fuel shortage.

That statement is as untrue as the statement that the cost of living has not gone up. There is a fuel shortage and a very serious shortage.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state the number of tons of machine-won turf produced in Connemara in each year since the introduction of the scheme there.

I am informed by Bord na Móna that since the special emergency scheme was commenced by that board in Connemara in the year 1948 the following quantities of machine-won turf were produced:—