asked the Minister for Industry and Energy the all-in cost of providing the briquette factory at Littleton; the amount of the advance; the annual loan charge; the grants-in-aid; the number employed; the date on which regular production commenced; and the estimated annual production of briquettes.
Written Answers. - County Tipperary Briquette Factory.
594.
The estimated final cost of providing the briquette factory at Littleton is £18.6 million.
Bord na Móna's total capital expenditure to date has been funded by means of Exchequer advances, loans from other agencies, and internal revenue. The cost of the Littleton briquette factory was part of the board's total capital expenditure and consequently it is not possible to indicate the amount of the Exchequer advance directly applicable to this particular project.
The estimated annual loan charge attributable to Littleton briquette factory for the current year is £1.58 million. No grants in aid were received by the board in respect of the project. There are 84 people employed in the factory. Regular production commenced in September 1981 and it is estimated that 130,000 tonnes of briquettes will be produced annually.