asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether a survey was made at any time of the slate quarries in Valentia Island; and, if so, if he will make the report available for inspection.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Valentia Island Slate Quarries.
The slate quarries in Valentia Island were originally surveyed in 1859 by the Geological Survey and the results were published on the appropriate map and in the accompanying explanatory memoir. A revision survey of the quarries was made in 1879 and the map was re-edited in 1913. An inspection of these quarries was carried out by the Geological Survey in 1950. I am prepared to arrange that the report will be made available for inspection at the office of the Geological Survey.
Is it not time that we did something serious about slates in this country? In all the towns in this country where houses have been built over the last eight or 20 years there are hardly a dozen houses covered with Irish slates. It is interesting to see three lorry loads coming up——
The Deputy is making a speech.
There are no imports of roofing material that I know of. If slates are not being used, it is because they have been substituted by concrete tiles made in Irish factories out of Irish cement. I do not know that there is any requirement on us to impose, by ministerial Order, an obligation to use one type of roofing material as against another.
I was told by the previous Minister that it was a matter for private enterprise.
Deputy Palmer.
I hope you are not going to follow——
Deputy Palmer.
Will the Minister say who made the survey in 1950?
The Geological Survey.
Will the Minister state if the man principally responsible was the manager or proprietor of the Killaloe slate quarries?
The State—the Geological Survey—carried it out.
If it were the manager of the Killaloe slate quarries, the Minister would agree with me, I am sure, that after all his report on the survey might be partial because of the competition between the two quarries.
As I have informed the Deputy, the investigation was carried out by the Geological Survey.
If a company were willing to develop these slate quarries under the Undeveloped Areas Act and a board were set up to make a survey, would the Minister consider the possibility of giving financial assistance for the erection of a bridge to Valentia so that the development might take place?
That is a different question.