I move:—
That it is expedient to authorise such payments out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas as are necessary to give effect to any Act of the present Session to aid industrial development in undeveloped areas.
Committee on Finance. - Undeveloped Areas Bill, 1951—Money Resolution.
This is a financial resolution in connection with the Committee Stage of the Undeveloped Areas Bill. I want to ask the Minister for Industry and Commerce this specific question: Under this legislation it is proposed to appropriate money for the purpose of helping undeveloped areas, and the Minister was careful to emphasise that it was for the development of these areas. He wanted no misunderstanding about that. It is in that connection that I want to question him. Industrial development depends, I think, on four factors—the availability of capital, the availability of labour, the availability of a market for the finished product and the availability of raw material. I want to suggest to the Minister that this is too narrow. The purpose of this legislation is to exclude from the functions to be exercised under this Bill the task of providing raw materials. There is no use in erecting a factory, providing capital and assembling labour in the West of Ireland if there is a want of raw materials. We have had that bitter experience repeatedly in Castlebar, in Claremorris, in Limerick and in Tralee.
I would like to ask the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is satisfied, should substantial additional employment be provided say in Castlebar or Claremorris, that there would be a supply of raw materials for the factory established there and that such supplies would be abundant. Would he consider, in collaboration with the Minister for Agriculture, devoting part of his energies to getting from these hinterland factories a growing supply of raw materials on which to operate them. I mention Castlebar, Claremorris, Limerick and Tralee particularly because there is present in my mind the fact that we have already factories established in these places. We have the men and the capital at these centres as well as an unlimited market. The one thing we lack in sufficient quantity is raw material. In so far as some of these factories are concerned that lack has been filled by turning them over to the preparation of dressed meat for export. If, under this Bill, the Minister for Industry and Commerce, in collaboration with the Minister for Agriculture, would intensively promote the production of pigs in the area——
The Deputy is obviously making a Second Reading speech.
Can he use the money to promote the production of pigs?
You cannot make everything relevant.
I ask him for what purpose he seeks authority to use this money under this money resolution.
You have asked that.
May I suggest a proper use of this money?
The Deputy is not entitled to make a Second Reading speech on a money resolution. The only question before the House is can this money be voted.
Can he use it to promote the production of raw materials?
I will allow the Deputy to proceed along that line.
That is what I want to know. Will he be able to help the Electricity Supply Board to install installations for heating pig styes? The Minister knows that this scheme has been proceeding under the direction of the Electricity Supply Board with very valuable results. The installations are relatively inexpensive and can assist in making the production of these raw materials truly profitable for those who are engaged in it. I should add that the Minister should tell us if he considers that this comes within the ambit of the expenditure.
I do not know if my explanation of the purpose of this Bill was defective or that Deputies chose to misunderstand it. The sole purpose is to enable us to give to persons undertaking industrial development in undeveloped areas aid to the extent deemed necessary to offset the disadvantages of the locations.
All other forms of help to industries in those areas will be given by the Department of Industry and Commerce or the Department of Agriculture in the same degree as to industries located elsewhere. This Bill has a limited function which is to off-set the competitive disadvantages attached to industrial activity in certain areas but those who get help under the Bill will have available to them the services ordinarily given which will continue to be given by every other Government Department. If, therefore, there is a project for the establishment of a factory for the processing of any agricultural material in those areas the help required, if help is required, to secure the extended production of that agricultural product there, will be made available by the Department of Agriculture in the normal course of that Department's work.
Could the Minister explain this to me? An industry located in the West of Ireland may suffer from either of two handicaps, one, an inconvenient remoteness from its market or, alternatively, an inconvenient remoteness from its raw material. The Minister is quite prepared and sees his way clearly to off-set the handicap of remoteness from the consumer market. All I am asking him is this, if he can off-set the factory's remoteness from abundant supply of raw material by promoting the production of that raw material in the immediate vicinity of the factory, will he think that a proper charge?
No, if it is an agricultural material—and I presume that is what the Deputy has in mind—it will be a charge upon the funds of the Department of Agriculture.
But the Minister will have that device present to his mind, at least, of solving the problem of the industry relatively remotely placed from its raw materials.
Under this Bill, anybody promoting an industrial project can come to Foras Tionscail and ask them: "What help can I get?" That help will be assessed upon the basis of the competitive disadvantage of the proposed location. Once he has got that help he is on his own. There is no further assistance under this Bill. If any further help is required, he has to seek it in the same manner as any other industry, from the proper Government Department.
Would the Minister say that the purpose of this Bill is to provide £2,000,000 to subsidise private enterprise?
To subsidise private enterprise in undeveloped areas.
Question put and agreed to.
Money Resolution reported and agreed to.