asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce when it is proposed to establish an ore smelter; where it will be located; and the amount of capital that will be put up by the State and the amount by private interests.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Ore Smelter.
18.
The question of establishing a smelter is still under consideration and it is not possible at this stage to supply the information sought by the Deputy.
In the announcement of the agreement with Tara, which has not yet been implemented, references were made to the establishment of a smelter and surely the Minister has made a decision in relation to such a smelter. Has the Minister entered into any negotiations with any other interests with a view to setting up a company or has he examined sites anywhere with a view to the establishment of a smelter? Has anything been done towards the establishment of a smelter?
There are no decisions that I can announce but a feasibility study is being carried out by the IDA in consultation with various sorts of interested and expert bodies. I do not have decisions that I can announce.
If the feasibility study when it is completed in a year or two showed that it was questionable whether a smelter should be established here from an economic point of view would the Minister decide not to go ahead with that proposal?
There are so many hypotheses in that supplementary that I cannot offer an answer to it.
Would the Minister agree with what his colleague, the Minister for Local Government, stated in a speech in Navan a month ago that the smelter would be in County Meath? Is that true or will the Minister deny it?
I am not familiar with what the Minister for Local Government said.