asked the Minister for Transport and Power the amount of money paid to Bord na Móna up to 31st March, 1975, for the third programme of expansion.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Bord na Móna Payments.
4.
The Bord na Móna third development programme is at present under examination and I will be submitting it shortly to the Government for approval. No money was recouped to the board up to 31st March, 1975, in respect of the programme.
Is the Minister aware that there is great concern in the Midlands that this third development programme may not go ahead because of lack of capital. Will the Minister ensure that the Government will make money available to see this programme through?
I am sorry if there is concern and I would ask the Deputy to assure the people of the Midlands that they need have no concern in this regard. It is an integral part of our general policy to see that the Bord na Móna third programme goes ahead.
Will the Minister be able to make the money available to do the work? I am asking this because there is grave concern in the Midlands——
The Deputy is repeating himself.
——that this programme may not be able to go ahead in view of the fact that the Government have paid no money to Bord na Móna to enable them to go ahead with the third programme. That must mean that they will have to borrow from the banks.
Under statute Bord na Móna are allowed to borrow up to a certain limit to finance their development. They have reached that limit and I will have to come back to the Dáil later on in the year for the power to extend their borrowing limit so that they can invest in the development fund and I intend doing that.
Is the Minister aware that they are at the limit now and will not be able to go ahead from now on? This is a very serious matter.
I know they are at the limit. I will have to come back to the Dáil to get power for them to exceed that limit. I will have to seek the permission of the Dáil to do that.
In view of the urgency of the matter——
The Deputy has had a series of supplementaries.
This is a very important matter so far as the workers in the bogs in the Midlands are concerned.
I have given the Deputy a lot of latitude. This must be his final supplementary.
When will the Minister be able to bring legislation into the Dáil to give them that power? In a couple of weeks?
I could not say that. I will bring it in as soon as possible. I thoroughly agree that it is a very important matter and I want to go ahead with it as quickly as possible. I could not give any date.
I am not happy with that. In view of the fact that there is a limit they cannot go ahead and borrow any more. How can they go ahead with this development programme?
Question No. 5.
In view of the unemployment in the country at the moment and especially in the Midlands——
The Deputy must allow Question Time to continue.
I am not blocking Question Time.
I am very anxious to reassure the Deputy that I share his concern about the urgency of this matter and I will expedite it as far as possible.