asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy if he will summarise the activity to date of the Seán Lemass-type Industrial Development Consortium which the Government have established.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Industrial Development Consortium.
16.
The Industrial Development Consortium have considered a wide variety of matters affecting the development of Irish industry and services and have initiated studies among their members aimed at the promotion of employment-giving projects and the removal of obstacles to expansion. While the issues examined by the consortium are of many different kinds, the prime object of the consortium is to ensure that new development possibilities are identified and exploited with minimum delay and that the growth potential of existing enterprises is realised to the maximum degree.
Would it be fair to characterise this consortium as a ghost organisation? Will the Minister state how many meetings they have held, or perhaps they operate without meetings?
There have been three meetings.
Would the Minister state where is the headquarters of the consortium?
The meetings are held in the Department of Industry, Commerce and Energy.
In other words, they have no separate headquarters. Have they separate full-time personnel?
They have a secretary.
Like the Employment Action Team. Is there anybody else? Is the secretary a civil servant?
Yes.
I thought so.
Will the Deputy please address the Chair? I am opposed to dialogue across the floor of the House.
It has got to be dialogue or speeches. There is no other way. I have asked three short questions on a very important matter that figured prominently in the manifesto which reelected you.