asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the number of representatives employed by the Industrial Development Authority in foreign countries with a view to getting industrialists to establish factories in Ireland, the countries of their assignment, the nature and extent of their duties, and the results to date.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Industrial Development Authority Representatives.
60.
At the present time there are on the staff of the Industrial Development Authority two full-time representatives in foreign countries. One representative is in the U.S.A. and acts as Information Officer in the Authority's New York Office. The second representative is charged with the duty of establishing contact by every appropriate means with industrialists in Britain and Europe who may be interested in establishing factories in Ireland and of assisting in the development of the projects which result.
Arrangements are being made for the appointment of a full-time representative in the U.S.A. with the same functions as the European representative and of two further representatives for Europe.
Since the commencement of the campaign carried out by the Industrial Development Authority to induce foreign industrialists to set up industries in this country 99 factories have been set up by foreign firms either alone or in association with Irish interests. A further 14 factories are in course of construction and in 44 other cases it is considered likely or reasonably certain that a factory will be established; the Authority has also in hands a considerable number of inquiries from other interested firms.
I am glad to say that as a result of the Authority's campaign there has been a greatly increased interest in Ireland displayed by foreign industrialists as shown by the number of inquiries received by the Authority.
Does the Minister recollect that in his introductory statement on his Estimate, some months ago, he stated that he was about to appoint two further representatives in Europe forthwith? I understand that these representatives have not yet been appointed.
I made no such statement. I said that the Industrial Development Authority were being authorised by me to appoint two further representatives. They were so authorised and some delay has arisen in their appointment but it is not my fault.
Do I assume that the Minister and the Authority do not agree on the appointment of these representatives, that whilst the Minister believes that they should be appointed and stated so in his introductory statement on the Estimate for Industry and Commerce some months ago, the Authority have refused up to the present to implement the Minister's point of view?
That is an audacious and deliberate misunderstanding of what the position is. If difficulty has arisen, that difficulty is not through my fault. If the Authority have experienced some difficulty, they will have to get over it themselves.