asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he is aware that the company known as Cork Harbour Oil Wharves, Limited, Haulbowline, has gone out of production and that it is at present considering the dismantling and removal of the oil refining plant from the island and the country; and, if so, if he will state what steps he is taking to preserve the refining plant for the nation and the prospects there are of obtaining crude oil and again putting the plant into production.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cork Oil Wharves Company.
I am aware that the company went out of production in 1940 and is at present considering the disposal of certain plant. No recent proposals have been made for the resumption of production. In the circumstances there is no action which appears to be practicable in regard to the matters raised by the Deputy.
Here there are tanks with a storage capacity for 6,000,000 gallons of oil without there being one gallon of oil in them at the moment. Does the Minister suggest that this plant should be left in that condition pending the Parliamentary Secretary's, Deputy Donnellan's, manoeuvring in regard to the pier?
And your hindrance.
And my endeavour to get the Parliamentary Secretary to do something.
You are doing your best to hinder it.
Has the Minister seen the photograph in Collier's Magazine of this beautiful structure?
That is a separate question.
And the oil from Peru which is to be refined in it.
That is a separate question.
The position is that those tanks are lying idle.
The position is that the Deputy is making a speech instead of asking a question.
There is grave danger of oil supplies being cut off. Surely the Minister should take some steps to bring about a condition of affairs under which these tanks will at any rate be refilled.
If the Deputy is as interested in the tanks as his speech would indicate, I invite him now, as I have invited him in this question, to let us have some proposals and, when we get the proposals, they will be examined.
The Minister's job is to see that they are filled.