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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 3 Jul 1975

Vol. 283 No. 3

Industrial Development Bill, 1975: Committee and Final Stages.

I do not think there is any amendment we would like to put down. There will be other opportunities of discussing the Minister's Department but this was a unique opportunity for discussing the Industrial Development Authority in particular. I doubt if such another opportunity will be afforded us again. Possibly legislation may provide an opportunity. We are now giving the IDA power to take decisions on sums amounting to £850,000 without Government approval. This is a very big sum in the hands of an autonomous body and I think this was relevant for discussion, and I did not agree with my colleague in the Chair preventing me going over all the working of the IDA.

Sections 1 to 4, inclusive, put and agreed to.
Title agreed to.
Bill reported without amendment and received for final consideration.
Question proposed: "That the Bill do now pass."

When we come to discuss the Estimate for the Minister's Department we will have to comment on the activities of other Departments such as Posts and Telegraphs, Local Government and Transport and Power and I would hope the Minister would not tell us that the matters raised were not within his area of responsibility and he could not, therefore, comment on them. If we are to have industries in areas that are not developed as they should be these Departments will be equally involved, because industrialists will not set up shop in areas unless they have telephone communication, roads and various other facilities of a reasonably satisfactory standard. The discussion must of necessity be pretty wide ranging. Perhaps the Minister would consult with his colleagues on these matters so that we can have a satisfactory debate on the Estimate for his Department.

On the question of directing industrialists to particular areas, the IDA do direct industries to certain areas and, when industries close down, the IDA direct substitute industries to move into these areas. Along the western seaboard there is need for supplementary employment to the small holdings, which we all hope to retain, and their proud peasantry, whom we wish to see supported. We believe a more definite legislative direction will have to be given to the IDA to ensure that industries are sited where they are obviously required. This can best be done by having a graduated scale of grants—the further away from the main industrial centre the project is the bigger the grant should be. The IDA would not wish it to be known that they had the power to tell an American firm that it must go to Westport instead of Ballyshannon, but that can happen.

With regard to ranging widely in the debate, I must say I found the inputs in this debate useful as indicating the minds of Deputies. What I cannot do is answer for other Minister, but I can certainly convey the Deputies' comments to the Ministers concerned.

Industrialists will not go into areas without telephone communication, proper roads and so on.

I understand that, but I cannot answer for other Ministers.

These things are part of the incentive.

With regard to directives, it may be more of a theoretical difficulty than a practical one. We have not absolute power to say to industrialist X that he must go to town Y, if that is what is meant by direction. Of course the IDA have priorities of the socio-economic kind I have indicated. Of course, one can urge a man in a particular direction but if, at the last moment, he says "No", one cannot make him. The IDA do not have the power to direct in the finite sense but they have the power to guide and encourage. It is my view—and these things are not done instantly and it is no harm for me to say this because we are due a little discussion on this topic—our policies have served us well in regard to industrialisation at different times. I believe we are nearing a time when more planning is required, and that planning should not be just a guesstimate but should have the power to make its thoughts and hopes into actuality. We now have mechanisms for making estimates, for writing down aspirations, but we are a bit lacking in the side which is actually able to produce the realisation of those plans.

This is an appropriate time, with free trade with the Community, with regional policy slowing and disappointingly beginning to develop, when we have to look at it not to dismantle any existing structures but some other structures as well. The thoughts of Deputies on both sides of the House have been useful to me in that regard.

Question put and agreed to.

This Bill is certified a Money Bill in accordance with Article 22 of the Constitution.

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