asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will make arrangements to integrate Cleeves Confectionery with the Condensed Milk Company with a view to expansion of production and safeguarding the employment of workers concerned.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Integration of Limerick Companies.
13.
I understand that this is one of the possibilities which the Dairy Disposal Company has already had under consideration but that no decision has yet been reached.
Is the Minister in a position to say when a decision will be reached?
If I knew this I would have to know the answer which at this stage I do not.
Has this question not been investigated over a number of years and is it not true that a private concern have made approaches for the take-over of this particular confectionery business in Limerick with no result?
There have been a number of private negotiations going on as the Deputy, in fact, is aware, not just one. I do not know which one the Deputy is referring to at the moment, perhaps it is the latest one, and when the Deputy says that nothing has come of it I fully agree, nor from what I know of it is anything likely to come of it.
It is not the fault of the people who are interested. It is the fault of the Dairy Disposal Board.
That I would contest anywhere with the Deputy or with anybody else but I do not think it is something that should be contested in public at the moment.