asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will give details of the number of applications for new industry grants received by the Industrial Development Authority in the following periods: (a) the year ended March 31st, 1969, 1970, 1971; and (b) the six-month periods January to June, 1969, 1970, 1971 and July to December, 1969, 1970 and 1971.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - New Industry Grants.
36.
The Industrial Development Authority do not keep records in the form indicated in the question; their statistics are in the form of applications brought to the stage of approval for grant. For the Deputy's information the number of cases in which new industry grants were approved by the authority in each of the six-month periods referred to was—
|
January-June, |
1969 |
44 |
|
do. |
1970 |
46 |
|
do. |
1971 |
35 |
|
July-December, |
1969 |
50 |
|
do. |
1970 |
39 |
|
do. |
1971 |
29 |
Would the Minister not accept that the final figure he has given, that is, 29, is rather disturbing? It is the lowest figure since 1969 and as such has he any observations to make on it?
The only observation I can make is that the figure covers the last six-month period with which we can deal, July to December of last year. The finalisation of projects has depended to a large extent on our satisfactory negotiations for entry to the EEC. This has accounted for the falling off in the actual finalisation of projects in recent times. This situation depended to a great extent on the capacity of the Minister for Foreign Affairs to negotiate for the maintenance of the tax free incentive.