asked the Minister for Local Government if, in view of the statement in the recent Industrial Development Authority report on industrial grants that almost a quarter of the new industries surveyed were dissatisfied with inadequate sanitary services for their factories, he will now meet the industrialists concerned and ensure that this obstacle to providing employment will not arise in the future.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Factory Sanitary Services.
21.
I would point out that the report referred to by the Deputy stressed that it had not been found possible to investigate, in order to establish their validity, any of the complaints made by factory managements in regard to the inadequacy of the sanitary or other services available at their factories. Local authorities generally are only too anxious to do everything in their power to facilitate the development of their areas and in particular to encourage industries to be set up and expand in them. Major water and sewerage works, however, take time to plan and implement and reasonable forward notice must be given to the local authorities of industrial requirements if services are to be provided as needed.
My Department has now got information from the Industrial Development Authority in relation to a number of the firms who claim to have in adequate services. I propose to ask the local authorities concerned to examine the position with a view to seeing to what extent they can provide the services required. I may say, however, that a number of the complaints are from areas where the local authorities have already schemes in progress or in planning to augment and improve sanitary services.
At a recent discussion between officers of my Department and of local authorities the desirability of establishing adequate liaison between the local authority and local industrialists was emphasised and it was recommended that local authorities should find out from industrialists in their area details of their future requirements in terms of local authority services, including sanitary services, so that account can be taken of these requirements in forward planning programmes.