asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether the Government intend to provide a large male employment factory for Buncrana, County Donegal.
89.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Donegal Industrial Development.
88.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce why no advance factory has yet been built in Buncrana, County Donegal.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 88 and 89 together.
As the Deputy is no doubt aware, provision was made in the Industrial Development Authority's interim advance factory programme announced last year for the building of four advance factories in County Donegal. Buncrana was not one of the sites included, and I understand that the authority do not propose to extend the interim programme in the immediate future. The authority have informed me, however, that while, at present, they have no industrial projects for consideration in the area, they are fully conscious of Buncrana's need for industrial development and have certain plans in mind with a view to meeting that need.
Arising out of the Minister's two replies and taking the first question first, I understand from the Minister that they have in mind something for Buncrana. Is this what they had in mind three years ago when a factory, named and described and with an employment content of 350, was positively promised? Or is it something else they have in mind, and if so, is the Minister in a position to indicate in some positive way in 1972 that the proposal of 1969 will be fulfilled?
In regard to Question No. 89, why should there not be reconsideration of an advance factory for Buncrana when it is known to the IDA and the Government that there is dire need for male employment there? If there was an effort even to attempt to get the promise of 1969 fulfilled, it would appear to me to be rather obvious that an advance factory should now be put there in an effort to attract into it something which was promised in 1969, but has never come to pass.
In reply to the first of the Deputy's questions, the project which the IDA have in mind at present is not the project which they had hoped to get ahead with as was announced in 1969. The promoters of the original industry did an experimental scheme in another area and reached a stage at which they found it was not possible for them to go ahead with the industry which they had hoped to get going in Buncrana, with the result that my information from the IDA, at this stage, is that the possibility of going ahead with that project is just not on.
On the other hand, I am mindful of the problem which exists in Buncrana, but it would be, I think, wrong of me to make any suggestion to the IDA in relation to the advance factories they have in course of provision at present. We have just had a question about an advance factory in Granard. It is rather important that an industry be got to occupy these advance factories before the IDA could go ahead with a scheme of further advance factories by using these as attractions for further industry.
I thank the Minister for clarifying that there is no possibility of that promised project of 1969 now materialising. I would ask him to clarify, through the IDA to the development committee and others in Buncrana, how it is that the answer that the people in Buncrana have been getting to their plea for an advance factory has been related to the suggestion that there would be action on the promise of 1969 in the form of another industry.
In other words, a promise which has not been kept is being used as a reason why there should not be an advance factory and while I appreciate that there is not going to be a fulfilment of the promise of 1969 in the terms in which it was put forward, could the Minister undertake to clarify the situation further and not have Buncrana denied an advance factory because of a promise made in 1969 which is not to be kept?