The annual Estimate for the Department of Transport and Power gives this House an opportunity of covering a very wide field. If there is any Minister who could present this House with what could be a great record of achievements and advancements, it is the Minister for Transport and Power. This Department covers the entire field in relation to CIE, harbours, shipping, the air companies, the Shannon Free Airport Development Company, Bord Fáilte, the ESB and Bord na Móna. The Minister who is responsible for the activities of these Boards can, by taking a keener interest and by asking these Boards to conform with the wishes expressed in this House by public representatives, do a very valuable job of work. The Minister is seemingly content to leave as day to day matters of the boards matters which we in this House consider to be of very great importance. In order to cultivate a greater spirit of friendship between Members of this House and these boards, the Minister should endeavour to give the House more information in reply to Parliamentary Questions than he has given in the past.
I wish to make reference, and I do so with very great pride, to the Shannon Free Airport Development Company. I have spoken on the activities of this company in this House on numerous occasions. On every possible occasion, I have expressed the opinion that here we have clear and ample evidence of a company making great strides and showing progress. If I am asked what is meant by progress, I have to say I measure progress by what I see. As a result of the activities of the Shannon Free Airport Development Company, I have seen buildings; I have seen factories; I have seen workers working; and I have seen good pay packets. To me that is progress.
I am also impressed by the fact that in 1960 there were fewer than 500 people employed at Shannon in these industries; in 1961, there were close on 500; in 1962, over 1,000; in 1963, 1,500; in 1964, slightly over 2,000; in 1965, just 3,000; in 1966, almost 3,500. This company are responsible for giving employment in the industrial estate and the warehouse area to a total of 4,000 people. They have a very fine record in relation to industrial development. Córas Tráchtála has estimated exports from the Shannon Industrial Estate at over £22 million for the year ending 31st January, 1965, and that figure of £22 million has, I understand, every prospect of increasing substantially. That figure of £22¼ million for the year ended 31st January, 1965, is equivalent to 28 per cent of the total of Irish manufactured exports.
It is no harm to mention that the Shannon industrial area has been the subject of criticism from time to time. It is unreasonable for any section of the community to offer unwarranted criticism of the activities at Shannon Airport. We have witnessed here real advancement and real progress and I want to pay tribute to the members of the Board. It is no harm to give a clap on the back to those responsible for the progress at Shannon. That progress is something of which we can be proud. We can be proud of the extensive, progressive, well-designed, beautifully laid-out factories and all the facilities that go with them. When I see clear and ample evidence of progress, I want to praise it. So far as I am concerned, any encouragement or help I can give towards the further development of Shannon as an industrial area I will gladly and readily give. That industrial estate is one of our showpieces. There we have something practical to show; there we have workers at work.
People may say that the names of the industrialists cannot be described as being all too Irish. I do not mind what name goes up over a factory, so long as it is employing Irish workers at home in their own country. I would much prefer to see foreign industrialists coming to this country and setting up at Shannon, where facilities are available and where they will receive help and co-operation, and to see Irish boys and girls being employed there than to see our people emigrating and working in factories elsewhere.
I trust that the Department of Transport and Power will give every support and every assistance to the Board who, in my opinion, have produced a fine record. I am sure that the Board are actively engaged in making new contacts with industrialists. I do not know what effect the Anglo-Irish Trade Agreement will have on Shannon, whether beneficial or otherwise. I hope the Minister has been in touch with his colleagues in regard to this matter to ensure that the Agreement will be beneficial to Shannon.
Competition for the establishment of industries is becoming increasingly keener. At present, Northern Ireland is offering a far greater degree of encouragement for the establishment of industries in the north of Ireland than we in the Republic are offering. Therefore, I hope that the Government will put the Shannon Development Company in a position to be able to compete with Northern Ireland or any other competitor in attracting foreign industrialists. I hope that promotional efforts are increasing, that the good record at Shannon will continue and that the company will have an even greater degree of sucess.
The Minister is probably more aware than any of us of the valuable and useful national work that has been undertaken by the Shannon Free Airport Development Company Limited. I venture to say that no company set up under any State Department can show the same record of success and achievement as that company. I am sure the Minister will agree with me on that. When Deputies see progress of that kind, they should pay the tribute that is so well deserved.
I would appeal to the Minister, if it were necessary, to take a very special interest in the activities of this development company. If the Board make recommendations to him, I trust they will be considered favourably and sympathetically. I cannot say what plans the company may have for increasing the number employed at Shannon but, as a member of the Opposition, I may say that what I saw there impressed me. The achievements of the company impressed me as being greater than those of any other body set up since the State was founded. I hope their efforts will continue to be crowned with success.
I am not too happy about the activities of the ESB in relation to rural electrification. Deputy James Tully referred to this matter tonight. There are many pockets in rural Ireland where the people are anxious to avail of light and power but cannot do so because the cost is prohibitive. The ESB was originally designed to provide a full service. There is no use saying it is doing so when the people cannot afford to meet what are considered excessive charges. There are many parts of my own constituency, as well as places the length and breadth of the country, where there is no hope of light and power reaching the poor people there who are not in a position to pay these excessive charges. I would ask the Minister to enter into consultation with the ESB to take steps to solve this problem. The demand is there. All that is preventing these people getting supply is the fact that they cannot pay excessive charges. This problem must be tackled, even if the State has to provide a very substantial subsidy.
I should like to know from the Minister what has happened to the additional briquette factory that was to be established near Shannonbridge in Offaly. Some time ago arrangements were made for the erection of another briquette factory. The technical people from the Department, the ESB and Bord na Móna carried out a thorough investigation of the area and a suitable site was decided on for the erection of the new factory. I tabled a number of questions to the Minister from time to time. I have refrained from asking any questions of late on this matter. I was presuming it might have been the credit squeeze or other reasons which were preventing the Government going ahead with the briquette factory. I would ask the Minister in all seriousness to proceed with the erection of the new factory. There is a growing demand for briquettes. They are a cheap fuel and the percentage of heat they give cannot be equalled. The demand for briquettes is far greater than the present supply. I would ask the Minister to make arrangements during the coming financial year for the placing of the contract and the commencement of the construction of the new briquette factory on the site selected at Shannonbridge.
Reference was made to harbours. I think the Department could do much more than they are doing in regard to harbours. I could not agree more with any Deputy than I agree with Deputy James Tully in his remarks concerning Drogheda harbour. It is one of the finest harbours in this country. I could never understand why people from parts of County Louth, particularly Dundalk, and parts of Monaghan, bring in their goods to the North Wall in Dublin and transport them by road from Dublin to various parts of Louth, Cavan and Monaghan. Because of the high volume of traffic on the roads, an effort should be made to divert as much of this traffic as possible to Drogheda. I believe it would be possible to divert a good deal of the traffic coming to Dublin to Drogheda port. The harbour in Drogheda is, without doubt, one of the finest harbours on the east coast. It is a pity the equipment there is not better and that the port is not developed as one of the most modern in the country. The only other harbour I have knowledge about is Waterford harbour. Waterford harbour has the appearance of business and development. Yet I feel more business from the south of Ireland and parts of the south-east could be directed to it.
There was also a reference to the activities of Bord Fáilte. Everybody seems to ask that some area in their constituency be singled out for special attention by Bord Fáilte. I want to refer again to Clonmacnoise, probably the most historic and most ancient national monument we have. It is the resting place of saints and bishops, of kings and princes. Yet, if one goes to the offices of Bord Fáilte, and asks for photographs of Clonmacnoise, I do not believe they are available. In the brochures published by Bord Fáilte Clonmacnoise is mentioned just as another place and no more. It simply gets a mention on the signposts as convenient to Moate. Every tourist coming to Ireland should get an opportunity of visiting Clonmacnoise. There is real history there. There the tourist has something to see and something to learn. No national monument in this country today has the historic background of Clonmacnoise; yet Bord Fáilte have never given it the publicity it deserves. I make a genuine appeal to the Minister to direct the attention of Bord Fáilte to the need for further publicity for Clonmacnoise.
Reference has been made to hotel charges and to other complaints which have been registered by tourists in this country from time to time. I cannot speak of these complaints as I have no personal knowledge of them. When I have no personal knowledge of them, I make no reference to them. I feel that the Minister would be well advised, if he has large sums of money to spend on seaside resorts, not to put all his eggs in one basket but to spend sums on smaller seaside resorts. I could never understand, with the money spent on Tramore from time to time, how Tramore has not developed to a greater extent. I cannot say whether or not the Minister visits Tramore but I wonder if he is satisfied, because of the amount of money that has been spent on Tramore, that sufficient development has taken place there. There is room for considerable development and expansion, and for considerably greater expenditure, in Tramore.
It is all the same to the people who live in the midlands of Ireland whether they go to Salthill, Tramore, Laytown or Bettystown; they are the same distance away. I really feel the time has come when the Minister should ask Bord Fáilte to present him with proposals for the development, on a long term basis, of the smaller seaside resorts along our coasts. In selecting an area for holidays, people are now commencing to select the less overcrowded districts. That is why the smaller areas by the seaside which have not been developed to any great extent should now be developed.
Bord Fáilte should present the Minister with a five-year or a ten-year plan for the development of smaller seaside resorts. There are many areas now in which holidaymakers do not seem to enjoy their stay because of overcrowding. For that reason, I think the development of the smaller areas might ease the pressure on the more highly developed areas.
I was glad to hear Deputy James Tully make reference here tonight to the holiday camp in his constituency. It might be wise if the Bord Fáilte people took a leaf out of the book of the very excellent service rendered to this country by Butlin's Holiday Camp. Here we have a holiday camp on the east coast, under strict supervision, of the highest possible standards, with excellent organisation, well known for courtesy, kindliness, welcome and hospitality. If there is any reason why the holiday camp at Mosney has been such a success, it is good supervision, courtesy, kindliness, good service, good value and welcome to those who frequent it. If the same hospitality, courtesy, kindliness and welcome were extended in other areas, there would be less criticism. One thing is that, no matter whom you meet who has had the privilege of a holiday at Butlin's, there is the assurance of having received value for money. I never had a holiday there, lest people might think I had any experience of it. I have been there as a visitor from time to time. I have met people of all ages who say that they enjoyed their holiday in the holiday camp. On an occasion such as this, I think that we here in Parliament ought to express our appreciation to Sir William Butlin and to those responsible for the administration of such a fine holiday camp that gives enjoyment and pleasure, good value and good service to those seeking that type of holiday in this country.
I should like to ask the Minister what plans Bord na Móna have for future development. My constituency is primarily concerned with the activities of Bord na Móna. There seems to be a falling-off of employment in Bord na Móna. The general opinion amongst those who have been associated with Bord na Móna in employment over the years is that things are tightening up there and that the same amount of employment in the future will not be given as is given now and as has been given in the past. It would be most regrettable if we did not continue, as far as possible, to develop our bogs to the fullest extent. Again, as in the case of the Shannon Free Airport Development Company, I should be wrong if I did not pay a tribute to the manner in which Bord na Móna have developed the bogs in my constituency. It is something of which we are very proud. The development of the bogs in County Offaly has transformed the appearance of the county. Where there was once the appearance of poverty, it is now a hive of activity. We are glad to be associated with that and we want that degree of activity to continue and, in so far as it is possible, we desire that all the workers employed by Bord na Móna will be retained.
I often wondered if the Minister ever arranged with the Forestry Branch to have some scheme whereby the Forestry Branch would prepare and plant cutaway bogs in the season when Bord na Móna workers are slack. In that way, Bord na Móna workers could be transferred without delay to the Forestry Branch for the preparation and planting of cutaway bogs for forestry purposes. I suggested some years ago to the Minister that he should get into consultation in this connection with the Forestry Branch. I recall raising the matter on the Estimate for the Department of Lands. I do not know if anything was ever done about it but I think it is quite possible that there could be a dovetailing of activities between the Forestry Branch and Bord na Móna in relation to the preparation and planting of cutaway bogs by Bord na Móna workers during their slack period of the year.
The Department of Transport and Power should also consider the possibility of the erection of coal-burning power stations, if such a thing is possible. We have in my constituency a number of turf-burning stations at Rhode, Shannonbridge and Portarlington. I think Deputy Gibbons made a slightly similar reference. I would like to see in the Doonane, Crettyard, Wolfhill area, which is my area, a power station erected to utilise the coke and anthracite produced in the Doonane area. In this district of Doonane in Laois, which is not too far away from Castlecomer, there are a large number of unemployed people, with no prospect of employment. The development of the local coalmines does not look too good. Nobody wants to invest large sums of private money in the development of coalmines today. The amount of money required is too great. When speaking of developing coalmines, one must speak in millions, not thousands. I think, just as Bord na Móna stepped in in the case of the development of our native fuel, and may I say, with credit and success, Bord na Móna would be well advised to take whatever steps either they or the ESB could take in an area where we have prospects of developing the use of anthracite or coal.
Deputy Gibbons referred to the Arigna, County Leitrim, area of his constituency. I make similar reference in regard to the Wolfhill, Doonane and Mayo areas of County Laois. That is south of the county, convenient to Carlow and convenient to north County Kilkenny. It is a depressed area for employment. Because of the quality of the land, people are in poor circumstances, and again, it is mainly a mining district. It is an area in which there is a good mining tradition.
Most of the miners from around that area have in recent times emigrated to mines in Wales and in England. That is a great pity, because mining has been a tradition of the area. Generations have been engaged in mining and it would be a pity if these mines should have to close down, or remain as they are, and if we have to face a time of no prospect of development. Would the Minister arrange that either Bord na Móna or the ESB examine the possibility of the utilisation of anthracite for power? I feel that something can, and should, be done about it. I am not too happy that it has not been very fully explored.
It is too bad, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, that the Taoiseach will soon be retiring. It is also too bad that, despite the record of industrial achievements for which he may take credit, what we can describe as a masterful blunder on his part was the creation and establishment of CIE in the first instance. I was a member of this House in 1944 when the Taoiseach, then Minister for Industry and Commerce, announced his intention of bringing in his Transport Act at that time, and announced the birth of CIE. He had great hopes for the company at that time. As a matter of fact, we all had great hopes at that time because he was so convincing in his argument that he did succeed in convincing the country in 1944 and succeeded in convincing this House that there was really something in the establishment of CIE.
In 1944, during the general election campaign, the Taoiseach spoke in Carlow in reference to the establishment of CIE and it is very interesting to recall what he said. He said:
The Government proposes the establishment of a national transport organisation, operating under Government supervision, charged with the reorganisation of transport services so as to ensure that cheap and adequate facilities will be available in every area.
The new company will be constituted from the amalgamation of the Great Southern Railways and the Dublin United Tramways Company.
The economies resulting from the scheme will mean cheaper rates for transport, better services, and will give transport workers better security of employment and remuneration which they can never have unless such a reorganisation is effected.
The Government believes that a really efficient national transport organisation, with up-to-date equipment, can give private traders a better and a cheaper service than they can give themselves in normal circumstances.