Vol. 235 No. 5
asked the Taoiseach why in a reply of 29th May, 1968, he provided estimated values of exports and imports for the Shannon Free Airport Industrial Estate while the annual reports of the Shannon Free Airport Development Company Limited provide detailed and precise figures; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
3.
asked the Taoiseach when the first exports left the Shannon Free Airport Industrial Estate; and when the first accounts of exports and imports were published.
4.
asked the Taoiseach if he will state, for each year since imports began to arrive in Shannon Free Airport Industrial Estate, the precise value of (a) all raw materials imported into the estate for processing, (b) all semi-processed goods imported into the estate and (c) all components imported for assembly in the estate, distinguishing between manufacturing concerns and others, and stating whether the goods were imported by land, sea or air.
5.
asked the Taoiseach if he is aware that the annual report of Córas Tráchtála for 1964, page 18, states that the value of exports from Shannon Free Airport Industrial Estate for 1963 was £5 million; and why in a reply of 28th May he could give no estimate of exports for 1963.
6.
asked the Taoiseach if he is aware that the 1966-67 annual report of the Shannon Free Airport Development Company, page 14, states that imports for the year 1966 were £21.458 million precisely; and if he will state the reason for the difference between this figure and the figure of £24.2 million for estimated imports for the same year given by him in a reply of 29th May last.
7.
asked the Taoiseach if he is aware that the 1966-67 annual report of the Shannon Free Airport Development Company Limited, page 14, states that the value of exports for the year 1966 was £28.602 million; and if he will state the reason for the difference between this figure and the figure of £31.7 million for estimated exports for the same year given by him in a reply of 29th May last.
With your permission, Sir, I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 to 7 together.
The bulk of the trade of Shannon Free Airport Industrial Estate consists of goods entering or leaving the estate direct by air from or to other countries without passing through any other part of the State. Normal customs documentation, from which our trade statistics are compiled, is not available for this activity as the goods in question do not pass through the general customs area of the State at any point of their movement between the estate and the country of origin or destination.
Some information on this direct trading by air is, however, obtained periodically by the Central Statistics Office by means of a voluntary inquiry designed to obtain from the individual manufacturing companies operating in the estate, the total value of their imports and exports by air; warehousing and other service agencies are, of course, excluded from the inquiry as these concerns are not basically involved in the import or export of goods on their own behalf. Firms are asked to give approximate value figures where exact totals are not readily available — hence the term "estimate" as used in my reply of 29th May last. Returns from this inquiry covering all firms first became available for the year 1964.
As indicated in the 1966-1967 annual report of the Shannon Free Airport Development Company the figures quoted there for the external trading of the estate were supplied by the Central Statistics Office. The figures shown were those available at the time of the preparation of the report. Since then, certain rather substantial amendments have been found necessary in the original estimates and these have been incorporated in the figures used in my reply af 29th May. For convenience the figures in the statement were given to the nearest hundred thousand pounds while, in the Shannon Free Airport Development Company report, they were given to the nearest thousand pounds.
It is understood that manufacturing activity commenced in the Industrial Estate in 1959 and that the first imports and exports from the estate were made in that year. Particulars of trade for the years prior to 1964, comparable to those referred to above, are not, however, available.
While I have no reason to doubt the general accuracy of the Córas Tráchtála estimate of £5 million for exports from Shannon Free Airport Industrial Estate in 1963, I did not consider it proper to include it in my earlier reply as the figure is from a different source and may not be comparable in coverage with the figures for later years.
With your permission, Sir, I propose to circulate in the Official Report a statement showing for each year 1964-1967 the values of imports to Shannon Free Airport Industrial Estate (a) by air directly from other countries—as derived from the special inquiry referred to and (b) by surface transport—as derived from official transhipment bills. The information available does not permit a distinction to be made between raw materials, semi-processed goods and components for assembly.
Following is the statement:
IMPORTS to Shannon Free Airport Industrial Estate, 1964-1967.
|
1964 |
1965 |
1966 |
1967 |
|
|
£000 |
||||
|
Directly by air |
8,220 |
12,357 |
19,646 |
17,097 |
|
By surface transport |
3,248 |
3,640 |
4,512 |
5,425 |
|
Total |
11,468 |
15,997 |
24,158 |
22,522 |
