asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether in view of the fact that the Government have now decided to acquire all mineral rights in the Tynagh area, County Galway, he has any information available to him, apart from that provided by the Northgate Exploration Company of Canada, as to the mineral deposits in the area.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Galway Mineral Deposits.
31.
Apart from the continuing reports supplied to me by the holder of the prospecting licence at Tynagh, I have no information as to the mineral deposits in that area other than the information which has been accumulated by the Geological Survey over the years and which has been available for inspection by the public at that office.
Does the Minister realise that the statement in the newspapers that the Government had decided to acquire all the mineral rights in the Tynagh area can give rise to serious misunderstanding? Does any special significance attach to this action?
There is no special significance and it was so stated in the public announcement that accompanied the official acquisition.
It said the Government were acquiring all the mineral rights in this area. Is there any reason why this decision came in the middle of an acrimonious dispute involving the London Stock Exchange, the Dublin Stock Exchange and the promoters as to the viability of the project?
I said it on a number of occasions, and it must be fairly clear by now, that the purpose of the acquisition was, in the first place, to ensure that mineral rights which were not in Government ownership should be brought into Government ownership and, in the second place, to ensure that mineral rights about which there was some doubt would be further brought into Government ownership. The fact is that the vast majority are in Government ownership and the purpose of the acquisition order was to ensure the orderly development of mining operations there if mining proved worth while.