asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he is aware that the Duneen Bay Barytes Mines (Clonakilty, Co. Cork), owned by the Cookson Barytes Co., Ltd., closed down early in 1922, that thereby over one hundred hands were unemployed, that the Company has no intention of re-opening, and that it now proposes to dispose of its plant; whether all the late employees of the Company are now practically destitute through being deprived of Unemployment Benefit under Section 8 (4) of the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1920, and, if so, what steps, if any the Ministry intend to take to ensure that the plant is not sold to persons other than those who are willing to use the plant for working the mine as heretofore.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - BARYTES MINES (CLONAKILTY).
Mr. HOGAN (for Minister for Industry and Commerce)
The Minister has no power to prevent the disposal of its plant by this Company in whatever way it may be advised, but is communicating with the Company on the matter.