asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if an engineer was sent by his Department to investigate the possibilities of working the Slieveardagh Collieries, County Tipperary, and, if so, whether he will state the nature of his report; whether he is aware that a similar investigation has been made on behalf of an English Company and reported upon favourably, and whether he is now prepared to have the possibilities fully explored with a view to encouraging the reopening of this industry.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Slieveardagh Collieries.
While no special investigation of the Slieveardagh district has been made by my Department in recent years there is a great deal of information available in the Geological Survey records of this area. I am aware that an investigation of the district was made by certain outside interests recently, and certain financial proposals following such investigations were placed before my Department. These were not of a kind which I found it possible to entertain. As regards the concluding part of the question, the Deputy will appreciate that the development of these coal deposits, which are in fact in private ownership, is, in the first instance, a matter for private enterprise.
Owing to the fact that about 200 persons who could be engaged in mining are in receipt of home assistance and owing to the wide difference which, we understand, existed between the Department's engineer and the engineer of the English company, will the Minister see that an engineer be appointed to explore these mines and to get them opened up so as to relieve the distress that exists there at present?
If there is any person or group of persons interested in the development of the deposits there, every possible assistance will be given by my Department.
Surely the mines must be explored by an engineer before persons will interest themselves in them?
I do not agree with that point of view at all.