Vol. 194 No. 8
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether, further to a reply of 27th March in which he stated that particulars of present employment in each new factory are not readily available and that, even if such information were available, it would be contrary to practice to disclose it, he will state the reasons why such information is not available, and the reasons why it should be regarded as undesirable to disclose it.
40.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the number of industries which commenced production during the period 1958-61 which have ceased production to date.
41.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the number of new industries, as distinct from extensions to existing industries, which began production in each of the counties and county boroughs during each of the years 1958 to 1961 inclusive.
42.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce for each county and county borough the total number of persons at present employed in industries (as distinct from extensions to old industries) which commenced production since 1958.
43.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce for each county and county borough the total number of persons at present employed in extensions to existing industries which have come into production since 1958.
I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 39, 40, 41, 42, 43 together.
The numbers of new industries, as distinct from extensions to existing industries, that came to notice as having commenced production in each county and county borough during each of the years 1958 to 1961 inclusive are set out in a tabular statement, which, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to have circulated with the Official Report.
There is no obligation on private industrial concerns to furnish periodical returns of employment to me. Information which may be furnished by industrial undertakings from time to time at my request about their employment position is treated as confidential and cannot be disclosed.
The departmental records have not been kept in a form which would enable me readily to state in what number of cases, if any, the Department became aware of a cesser of production by an industry which had commenced production in the period 1958 to 1961.
Following is the statement:
NUMBERS of New Industries in each County and County Borough that came to notice as having commenced Production in the calendar years 1958 to 1961 (inclusive).
|
1958 |
1959 |
1960 |
1961 |
Total |
|
|
Leinster: |
|||||
|
Carlow |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
1 |
|
Dublin County |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
6 |
|
Dublin County Borough |
19 |
17 |
15 |
9 |
60 |
|
Kildare |
1 |
1 |
— |
1 |
3 |
|
Kilkenny |
— |
— |
1 |
— |
1 |
|
Laoighis |
— |
— |
— |
1 |
1 |
|
Longford |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Louth |
— |
3 |
2 |
2 |
7 |
|
Meath |
— |
— |
— |
1 |
1 |
|
Offaly |
— |
1 |
1 |
— |
2 |
|
Westmeath |
1 |
— |
1 |
— |
2 |
|
Wexford |
1 |
1 |
— |
1 |
3 |
|
Wicklow |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
|
Munster: |
|||||
|
Clare |
2 |
1 |
6 |
6 |
15 |
|
Cork County |
1 |
2 |
6 |
4 |
13 |
|
Cork County Borough |
— |
— |
2 |
2 |
4 |
|
Kerry |
— |
— |
4 |
3 |
7 |
|
Limerick County |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Limerick County Borough |
— |
2 |
1 |
— |
3 |
|
Tipperary |
— |
— |
— |
1 |
1 |
|
Waterford County |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Waterford County Borough |
— |
— |
— |
1 |
1 |
|
Connacht: |
|||||
|
Galway |
3 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
8 |
|
Leitrim |
— |
— |
— |
1 |
1 |
|
Mayo |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
1 |
|
Roscommon |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Sligo |
— |
1 |
— |
1 |
2 |
|
Ulster: |
|||||
|
Cavan |
— |
— |
3 |
— |
3 |
|
Donegal |
1 |
1 |
1 |
— |
3 |
|
Monaghan |
— |
1 |
— |
2 |
3 |
|
TOTAL |
33 |
35 |
47 |
41 |
156 |
Is the Minister in that reply trying to tell us that he is not aware, that he is not notified, that he has no knowledge, of any industries that may close down from time to time?
There is no obligation on a person in a manufacturing industry or any type of business to notify me that he is going out of production. Therefore, I could not possibly give the Deputy an authoritative or comprehensive list of such industries, if there were any.
If the Minister is able to tell us how many new industries have been established and how many industries have been extended, surely it is not unreasonable to expect that he would be able to tell us how many industries, if any, have closed down in any given period?
There are amalgamations; people going out of business; and changes of ownership. I am not in a position to know all these activities, nor are the people engaged in them obliged to tell me. Therefore, I could not give an authoritative account of what happens in that respect.
Is the Minister aware that he answered that question to me last year which he is refusing to Deputy Corish now?
I do not think I did. I was able to tell the Deputy of the grant-aided industries of which we were notified.
If an industry gets a grant or a loan, is it not bound to notify the Minister if production ceases?
I get to know about these all right, but Deputy Corish's question was a comprehensive one.
And the Minister answered it comprehensively also. He answered five questions together.
