asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether the decision of the Six County Government to close three cross-Border lines of the Great Northern Railway will cause large-scale redundancy at the Dundalk Works.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dundalk G.N.R. Works.
I would refer the Deputy to the Report of the Inquiry held by the Chairmen of the Transport Tribunals into the proposal to terminate the services on these cross-Border lines, in which particulars of the anticipated redundancy are given on page 50. The Report (P. No. 3809) was laid on the Table of the House on 23rd October, 1956.
Does the Minister intend to reopen negotiations with his opposite number in Northern Ireland to find out exactly what the position will be with regard to the Dundalk Works?
I think the position is pretty clear, and the attitude of the Six County Minister of Commerce is clear. They propose to close these three lines with all the consequences set out in the Report of the Chairmen of the Transport Tribunals to which I have just referred.
It is not quite clear what effect the implementation of these proposals will have. It is not definitely stated. I should like the Minister to try to make some statement that will ease the minds of the employees in the Dundalk Works.
If the Deputy will read page 50 of the Report of the Inquiry of the Chairmen of the Transport Tribunals he will see it is stated that the number of staff directly employed on the three sections proposed for closure is 360, of whom 330 are in Northern Ireland.
"Assuming that all other sections would continue in operation alternative employment could be offered to the majority, but about 130 persons (120 in Northern Ireland), would lose their employment, while about 100 men at Dundalk Works and about 60 employees at Clones station would also be rendered redundant. The closure of the ‘stump' lines would increase the redundancy in the Republic to 400, including 150 in the Dundalk Works, after taking into account re-employment on substitute road services."
That is a clear indication. The report does indicate what is going to happen at Dundalk.
May I ask does the Minister himself propose to take any steps to avoid this situation?
That matter is under consideration in the light of the recent decision of the Belfast Minister of Commerce.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether, with a view to improving the employment position in the Dundalk Works, he will ask the G.N.R. Board to investigate the possibilities of manufacturing at Dundalk machinery and engineering products, which are at present imported.
The management and operation of the Dundalk Works is the responsibility of the board established by the Great Northern Railway Act, 1953. The board have been made fully aware of my desire that they should pursue all means open to them, including those mentioned by the Deputy, of maintaining and improving employment at the Dundalk Works.
Would the Minister take steps under the Undeveloped Areas Act, or under any other powers that he has, to establish or to get established in Dundalk an engineering works which might be able to absorb the men who are displaced owing to the shutting down of railways or through any other cause arising out of unemployment on the railways?
I am most anxious that that should be done. The Board of the G.N.R. have had the benefit of the services of industrial consultants recently and I hope that one of the benefits that would flow from that would be a reorganisation of the Works which would put it in a position to undertake the additional work which they have been asked to do in order to maintain and improve employment at the Works.
The Minister, of course, is aware that the influence of this Government is only partial over the Great Northern Railway Board and, if the Great Northern Railway Board do not extend their engineering activities to absorb the number unemployed, would the Minister take steps under his other powers and apart altogether from the company, to have established an engineering works which would give employment to those men?
I am sure the Deputy appreciates the magnitude of the problem posed in his last question but he can take the assurance from me that anything I can do will be done or any power I can use to expand employment at the Dundalk Works will be used for that purpose.