asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he will state in respect of Sony Ltd., the date on which production work commenced at the Shannon Estate factory; the average number of persons employed since the date of opening up to the closing date; the amount of State grant allocated for (a) the construction of the factory premises and (b) the installation of equipment; the amount of any State loans which were made available under these headings; and if he can indicate the value of preferential terms which were available in respect of goods produced for (i) the home market and (ii) the export market from this concern.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Shannon Estate Factory.
46.
Production commenced in June, 1960, and the company is still in operation. As it is not the practice to disclose information about the private affairs of industrial concerns, I am not prepared to supply the particulars requested in respect of the number of persons employed. No State grants have been made available for the construction of the factory premises or the installation of equipment nor have any State loans been made available. All of the company's products are exported and the company is eligible for the tax concessions available under the Finance (Miscellaneous Provisions), Act, 1958, to firms operating at Shannon Airport.