asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he has received representations requesting that the coal deposits at Rossmore, Carlow, should be acquired by the State with a view to the fullest exploitation of the deposits in the national interest; whether he has considered the representations, and, if so, whether he is in a position to indicate what action it is proposed to take in the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Coal Deposits in County Carlow.
It has been suggested to me that the coal deposits at Rossmore, Carlow, should be acquired by the State. This suggestion will be conveyed to the company which has been established under the Slievardagh Coalfield Development Act but, as indicated to the Deputy in the Dáil in the debate on the Minerals Exploration and Development Company Bill, I can give no assurance that the suggestion will be accepted by the company.
Arising out of the Minister's reply, is he aware of the fact that the former head of the Geological Survey Department estimated that there were approximately 32,000,000 tons of anthracite coal in this area. In view of that report, and of the inferior coal that at the moment we are getting from Great Britain, with the high price that is being paid for it, will the Minister take some steps to have this matter dealt with as one of urgency?
I am afraid I cannot accept the hypothesis, upon which the Deputy's supplementary question is based, as to the extent of this coal area.
Does the Minister deny that the former head of the Geological Survey Department estimated that there were 32,000,000 tons of anthracite coal in that area? If the Minister dislikes the statement made by the former head of the Geological Survey, will he take steps immediately to have the accuracy of that statement tested?
Question 20.
Will the Minister say whether this matter will be taken in hands immediately with a view to exploiting, to the fullest, the coal deposits in that area?
I have already indicated that the attention of the company which has been established under the Slievardagh Coalfield Development Act will be drawn to this deposit, but I cannot compel the company to leave the more important work of developing the Slievardagh coalfield in order to attend to this deposit.
I am not asking the Minister to neglect the Slievardagh coalfield, but I am asking him to display a little more energy and to develop the deposit in the Carlow area with a view to supplementing our fuel supplies at the present time. Will the Minister do that?
Any advice that I have received in regard to the Carlow deposits does not substantiate the statements which the Deputy has been making.
Seeing that the Minister has made no actual borings in the Carlow area, will he say how he is in a position, with the lay advice at his disposal, to test the accuracy of the statement made by the former head of the Geological Survey Department?