asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he has seen the statement of the administrative manager of Potez Limited, Baldonnel, County Dublin, attributing tardiness on the part of the Government in meeting their payments to the company as a factor in delaying the production of the Potez 8-40 aircraft; whether An Foras Tionscal have met their financial commitments to the company to date; what these amount to; whether Taiscí Stáit, the other State agency involved, have met their commitments to date; whether any difficulty is likely in future payments from other sources; and whether he has any information available at this stage which would indicate when the first Potez 8-40 aircraft can be expected from the Baldonnel factory.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Potez Factory.
18.
Mr. O'Leary
I have seen the statement attributed to the administrative manager of Potez Aerospace Limited.
As I have already informed the House, the grant payable by An Foras Tionscal to Potez Aerospace Limited is £463,000. An Foras Tionscal have met their financial commitments to the company to date.
On the basis of certified expenditure by Establishments Henri Potez, Taisci Stáit has met its commitments to Aviation Development Limited to date; the latest request for payment is now under examination.
I do not know to what the Deputy refers when he asks about difficulty in future payments from other sources. Consequently, I am unable to assist him in this regard.
Discussions are at present going on with Etablissements Henri Potez regarding the scale and tempo of production at Baldonnel. Pending their conclusion, I would not be in a position to say when the first aircraft would be completed at Baldonnel and in the interests of the company's competitive position. I would question the advisability of my disclosing particulars of the company's plans and programme at any time.
Mr. O'Leary
I merely asked about any future difficulties from State sources in regard to this. Does the Minister see any future difficulties in regard to this?
There has not been any difficulty at any time.
Mr. O'Leary
In other words, this is untrue?
There is no foundation for it.
Mr. O'Leary
There is an amount of State money involved in this. It is not our purpose on this side to more or less put mischievous queries with regard to affairs of this sort. This company, if it is not a State company, has a vested interest in it by the State, and should see that something is produced by the factories. Can we have an assurance from the Minister that he will investigate this company and see that they will produce something?
They have been investigated from all sides. There has been no hold-up in regard to production.
It is a pretty shaky concern at any rate.