asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he will arrange for a conference of all interested parties, including local county councillors and Teachtaí Dála, before entering into any discussions with the Six-County Government or the G.N.R. Board on the future of public transport in County Donegal.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Donegal Transport Services.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will ask the G.N.R. Board to consider the desirability of extending the broad-gauge line to Letterkenny and Ballybofey.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 16 together.
As I have indicated in response to previous questions, I am awaiting a report from my nominees on the G.N.R. Board on all aspects of the future of public transport in County Donegal and I propose to give the local interests concerned an opportunity of expressing their views before any final decisions are taken in the matter.
Is the Minister aware that some time ago in some of the provincial Press, there appeared a fully detailed report of what was to take place in regard to the reorganisation of public transport in Donegal and that that report was not contradicted by any official authority in Dublin or by the Six-County Government? Further, is the Minister aware that there are things being done and arranged at the moment, as there have been for some time past, at terminals in northern Donegal, namely, St. Johnston and Ballyshannon, which would indicate that these two points are going to be the terminals in future——
The Deputy is travelling outside the question.
I am merely asking the Minister, as he has been asked in different ways on various occasions over a number of months, whether or not the undertaking given in this House, and given again to-day will be kept? I am not suggesting that the Minister will purposely break through that agreement but I am afraid that things may be done——
The Deputy is making a speech.
——that something is happening——
The Deputy will have to confine himself to the question.
Then, arising out of the Minister's reply, is the Minister satisfied that his nominees on the board, are, in fact, keeping him informed of what is going on? Is he satisfied also that no decisions will be reached or undertakings given that would predetermine what will take place in the future and which would, in fact, leave this talk of a conference with local interests null and void? In that event, would the Minister accede to my first request to arrange a conference now?
I have informed the Deputy on a previous occasion that my predecessor had requested the nominees of this Administration on the board to make a report on future transport in Donegal. That task was assigned to our nominees on the G.N.R. Board. The report of our nominees has not yet been received by me and I have no responsibility therefore for the newspaper forecast to which the Deputy refers. I have asked our nominees on the board to speed up the compliation and issue of this report to me and I am still awaiting that report. The assurance I have given to the Deputy is good and nothing that happens will prevent me fulfilling the assurance I am now giving.
Will the Minister ensure that these things cannot be done behind his back? I am not afraid of the Minister not fulfilling the assurance —I am not accusing him of that—but if things are done behind his back——
Then somebody will answer for it.
The answer may be that we will not get what we want.
The Deputy has been promised prior consultation. So have local interests been promised prior consultation and so far as I am concerned they will have it.