asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy when he expects to have the expert's report on the diversion of the River Blackwater away from the Navan ore body in County Meath.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Meath River Diversion.
1.
The finalisation of the preliminary arrangements necessary to enable the expert to proceed with his commission has proved more complex and difficult than had been anticipated but I now expect that his report will be available before the end of this year.
Has the study then not commenced?
It is anticipated that the study will commence at the beginning of June.
Will the Minister indicate the inhibiting factors preventing the commencement of the study and when the study was first commissioned?
The report was commissioned by the Department in 1975 when it was indicated that because of the geological formations in the area certain diversions of the river would be necessary. An expert was appointed. Unfortunately he left and a further expert has been since appointed. There is a history to this case of which the Deputy is well aware and which I do not want to go into at Question Time. The situation now is that following pressure from the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy, both sides, Bula and Tara, are working in co-operation with the consultant. The consultant will not be immediately available, as he is away until the end of May. He will commence his task at the beginning of June. Hopefully, the results of his efforts will be available at the end of the year.
Will the Minister accept that in this delay there is no element of heel-dragging on the part of either company?
The Department have been very anxious to see that there would be no element of heel-dragging and have worked very closely with the consultant involved. We have now reached the situation, which personally I should like to have seen reached earlier, through the good offices of the Minister when this study will commence at the beginning of June.
Could the Minister say when the expert's report might be made and when jobs will be available in Bula in the mine?
As I have already said and we hope that the expert's report will be available at the end of the year, but knowing the history of this situation I should not like to make a firm commitment for the end of the year but I hope it will be available then.