asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he has any plans for the establishment of a factory at Manorhamilton, County Leitrim, to process the large amount of timber coming from forests in the surrounding counties.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Leitrim Factory.
5.
On 27th October, 1976, when replying to a similar question from the Deputy in relation to Glenfarne I said I was advised that the amount of timber likely to be available in the area up to 1981 would not support an additional timber processing industry there. There are no proposals at present before the Industrial Development Authority for such a project. However, the Authority are carrying out a general study of the timber industry which will be completed in a matter of months. It is intended that this survey will produce guidelines as to how the industry should be developed and as to suitable locations for future expansion. The scope for further expansion of the timber industry in the Manorhamilton area will then be reassessed.
Manorhamilton is a very central part of County Leitrim and is convenient to Sligo and the establishment of such an industry would be very useful in the area. In the last 30 minutes I read a letter from a group of people asking for the establishment of an industry. There is no employment in the area and there is great need for an advance factory.
I appreciate the Deputy's position but, as I said, there is not at present scope for an additional processing industry. In addition, we have to be very careful not to damage with State aid existing companies by setting up subsidised competition to them. However, I will bear in mind what the Deputy has said.
Is the Minister aware that timber from some of the forests in the north-west is going to factories in the Six Counties? Does he not consider that a factory somewhere in the north-west is essential for the proper utilisation of the forests there?
I have indicated that there is an IDA study which will be finished in a matter of months. It is a fact that if you have to haul timber for processing for a distance greater than 20 miles or of that order of magnitude the basic economics of it go the wrong way. It is important to have locate processing close to where the timber is and it is important to have a sufficient volume of timber to sustain the particular investment. As I have indicated to Deputies, the study in regard to the timber industry has been initiated. I am expecting the report in a matter of months and the kind of questions asked by the Deputies will be looked at actively in the light of what we are told.