asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he will give details of the new town development attached to the Shannon industrial estate for which certain tenders have been invited; what the contract will entail and the approximate cost; and if he will make a statement in regard to this development.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Shannon Town Development Scheme.
6.
Tenders have been invited by the Shannon Free Airport Development Co. Ltd. for the laying of a concrete road and culverts, sewers, water mains, pump-house and other incidental works. It is not the practice to give any indication of the cost in advance of the placing of a contract. These works will provide the necessary infrastructure for the development of a town centre for a town with a population of about 6,000 persons to which I referred in my speech to the House on the Estimate for my Department for 1966-67. The present resident population at Shannon is about 1,700 persons occupying about 450 dwellings and it is the intention of the Company, when these site works have been completed, to encourage private investment in the provision of buildings and other amenities normally associated with a town of the size envisaged.
Can the Minister indicate at this stage what is likely to be the name of the town?
At present it is called Shannon Town.
Childerville.
It is called Shannon Town at present.
I am not being critical by any means; I just want to get information.