asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will ensure that all potential industrial investors from overseas will be provided with the most accurate information available.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Overseas Industrial Investors.
18.
I am satisfied that under existing arrangements potential industrial investors are provided with the most accurate information available in relation to investment in Ireland.
19.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will arrange for the preparation of a map indicating the availability of water and sewerage and the accessibility of ports for potential industrialists from overseas.
I understand that detailed technical information on water and sewerage facilities is provided for industrialists by the Industrial Development Authority. Where an industrialist specifies water and sewerage disposal requirements, the Industrial Development Authority are in a position to indicate locations which could meet these requirements. In many cases, site maps showing services available at specific locations are provided. A national map showing these services would not be feasible. A map showing the accessibility of ports is already published by IDA.
Are the IDA entitled to make grants available to provide water and sewerage in places where the local authority have not done so?
I do not want to evade the Deputy's answer but, to be quite sure that what I say is accurate, I would prefer notice of the question which is a bit different from the matter on the Order Paper.
Could I suggest to the Minister that there are precedents for the IDA having made contributions to the cost to local authorities of supplying water and sewerage but that the IDA are rightly apprehensive of being held up to ransom by local authorities?
I can assure the Deputy that I understand the position. But, since this is the Parliament of the nation, I would like an answer to be precisely formulated and I do not want to give something off the top of my head in a delicate area.
I suggest the Minister might recommend his example to some of his colleagues.
We must have a question, Deputy.