asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state the total amount of money paid by the Government, including travelling expenses, for the team of American experts who were engaged by Córas Tráchtála Teoranta to advise on the subject of dollar exports.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - American Experts' Expenses.
All payments in respect of the American experts engaged by Córas Tráchtála have not yet been made, but it is expected that the total cost to the State will be about £25,000.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state if experts were engaged by the board of Córas Iompair Éireann from America to advise them on our transport services; and, if so, the amount of money paid to them, including travelling expenses.
An American expert was engaged for six months between February and August of this year to advise Córas Iompair Éireann on railway traffic matters. The cost of the project, including travelling expenses, is estimated at £4,200.
Considering that we have already spent a certain sum of money in getting a report on transport, the Milne Report, what have the Americans to tell us or teach us about transport here? We should have more reliance on our own people rather than accept direction from people so far removed as America.
This expert employed by Córas Iompair Éireann was not concerned with transport policy but with the technical operation of railway transport services.
I do not care what he was engaged at. I think it is time we had more reliance on our own technical advisers here rather than take advice from people outside.
Would the Minister consider it advisable to publish the report of this expert?
The report was made to Córas Iompair Éireann and it is a matter for Córas Iompair Éireann.
Would the Minister not suggest that it should be published?
I can assure the Deputy that it is highly technical and he would no more understand it than I do.