asked the Minister for Industry and Energy the title, function, date of establishment and budget of each non-commercial State-sponsored body under his aegis; and if the rate of increase in its budget has exceeded or been less than the rate of increase over the past five years of (a) his own Department and (b) Government expenditure generally; and, if so, by how much.
Written Answers. - Non-Commercial State Bodies.
552.
The relevant information in respect of the eight non-commercial State-sponsored bodies for which I am responsible is given below.
With regard to the budget of each body, the information given is the grant made in each case from the vote of the Department.
I should point out that it has not been possible to make comparisons between the rate of increase in the allocation to each State-sponsored body and that of my Department itself. This is because over the period in question the Industry and Energy functions have come under various different Departments — i.e. the former Departments of Transport and Power; Industry and Commerce; Industry, Commerce and Energy; Industry, Commerce and Tourism; Energy; and at present, the Department of Industry and Energy.
Following is the information:
Non-commercial State-sponsored Bodies under the aegis of the Department of Industry and Energy
1. Industrial Development Authority
2. Shannon Free Airport Development Company
3. Institute for Industrial Research and Standards
4. Kilkenny Design Workshops Ltd.
5. Irish Goods Council
6. Irish Film Board
7. Irish Productivity Centre
8. Nuclear Energy Board
Industrial Development Authority
1. Title: Industrial Development Authority.
2. Date of Establishment: The IDA was established in its present form by the Industrial Development Act, 1969 which came into operation on 4 February, 1970 (S.I. 24 of 1970).
3. Functions: Within its general responsibility for the furtherance of industrial development—
(i) to provide and administer such grants and other financial facilities for industry as it may be authorised by the Oireachtas to provide and to administer;
(ii) to develop, construct, maintain and administer industrial estates and factory buildings (other than at the Shannon Customs Free Airport) together with the associated facilities of such estates and buildings;
(iii) to provide and arrange where the authority consider it necessary, housing for employees in industry;
(iv) to foster the national objective of regional industrial development.
4. Budget: The IDA's total grant-in-aid for the years 1977-1981 is as follows— 1977, £65,453,000; 1978, £86,370,000; 1979, £128,550,000; 1980, £165,467,000; 1981, £203,058,000.
Shannon Free Airport Development Company.
Title: Shannon Free Airport Development Company Ltd.
2. The functions of the Shannon Free Airport Development Company Ltd. are:
(a) The promotion of small indigenous industry in the mid-west region and south and south-west Offaly;
(b) The promotion of manufacturing and service industry projects on the Shannon Industrial Estate; and
(c) The development of Shannon Airport through tourism and traffic related activities.
3. SFADCo was established by the Shannon Free Airport Development Company Ltd. Act, 1959.
4. Budget: The total grant-in-aid administered by this Department for the years 1977-1981 is as follows — 1977, £1,999,000; 1978, £1,458,000; 1979, £2,751,000; 1980, £4,351,000; 1981, £5,089,000.
Note: The company has also been in receipt of the following non-voted capital from the Department of Finance — 1977, £4,450,000; 1978, £6,550,000; 1979, £8,050,000; 1980, £10,500,000; 1981, £15,640,000.
Institute for Industrial Research and Standards.
1. Title: Institute for Industrial Research and Standards.
2. The functions of the Institute as set out in Section 6(2) of the Industrial Research and Standards Act, 1961 are:
(a) to undertake, encourage and foster scientific research and investigation with the object of——
(i) promoting the utilisation of the natural resources of the State,
(ii) improving the technical processes and methods used in the industries of the State,
(iii) discovering technical processes and methods which may promote or facilitate the expansion of existing or the development of new industries, and the utilisation of the waste products of industry,
(b) to formulate for the Minister in accordance with his directions specifications for such commodities, processes and practices as the Minister may from time to time request,
(c) with the consent of the Minister, to declare any specification so formulated to be a standard specification for the commodity, process or practice to which it relates,
(d) to make recommendations to the Minister as to the provision and use of standard marks for commodities, processes and practices which conform to standard specifications, (e) to disseminate technical literature and information to industry,
(f) where the public interest so requires, to undertake or assist in the development and the exploitation of inventions,
(g) to test and analyse commodities, intended for sale or for use by the public, for the purpose of—
(i) advancing or facilitating scientific research and investigations,
(ii) ensuring conformity with specifications,
(iii) encouraging the standardisation of commodities, processes and practices, or, generally, with the object of ascertaining, for the public benefit, the characteristics of such commodities,
(h) to publish the result of any test or analysis carried out by the institute or by any person on its behalf.
The institute may arrange with any person for the carrying out by that person on behalf of the institute of any research, investigation, test or analysis referred to above.
The functions of the institute shall not include any function assigned to An Foras Talúntais by the Agriculture (An Foras Talúntais) Act, 1958.
3. Date of Establishment: The Institute was established by Dáil Éireann as a statutory body by the Industrial Research and Standards Act, 1946, and was reconstituted by an Amending Act of 1961.
4. Budget: The institute's total grant-in-aid for the years 1977 to 1981 inclusive is as follows — 1977, £3,684 m; 1978, £4.412 m.; 1979, £5.651 m.; 1980, £7.229 m.; 1981, £11.325 m.
Kilkenny Design Workshops
1. Title: Kilkenny Design Workshops Limited.
2. The functions of Kilkenny Design Workshops Limited are:
(a) to raise the level of public awareness of good design;
(b) to provide practical design assistance to certain areas of industry;
(c) to advise the Minister for Industry and Energy on matters relating to design in industry;
(d) to convey the design needs of industry to the responsible educational authorities.
3. Date of Establishment: KDW was incorporated as a limited company in 1963.
4. Budget: The total grant-in-aid for 1977 to 1981 is as follows — 1977, £342,500; 1978, £400,000; 1979, £524,000; 1980, £614,000; 1981, £688,000.
Irish Goods Council.
1. Title: Irish Goods Council.
2. Function: To promote the sales of Irish goods and services in Ireland.
3. Date of establishment: 25 August 1978.
4. Budget: Period 26 August 1978 — 31 December 1978, £435,000; Financial Year 1979. £1,055,000; Financial Year 1980, £940,000: Financial Year 1981, £922,000; Financial Year 1982, £920,000.
The Irish Goods Council succeeded the National Development Association in 1978. The total funds expended by the NDA between January 1978 and 25 August 1978 was £435,000.
Irish Film Board
1. Title: Irish Film Board.
2. Function: To assist and encourage the development of a film industry in the State.
3. Date of establishment: 14 August 1981.
4. Budget: Total Grant from Department — 15 August-31 December 1981, £120,000; Year 1982, £452,000.
Irish Productivity Centre.
1. Title: Irish Productivity Centre (IPC).
2. The Irish Productivity Centre is an autonomous agency established by employers and trade unions, to help raise productivity in Irish business firms. It is controlled jointly by the Federated Union of Employers and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.
As a joint Management-Labour body the centre has specific economic and social objectives. It offers services to individual enterprises aimed at:
(a) increasing viability and efficiency; and
(b) improving management — labour co-operation.
The IPC provides two separate fields of services — The Business Advisory Service and the Labour — Management Service, with development and information services also provided.
3. Date of Establishment: The Centre was established as the Irish National Productivity Centre in December 1963 and reconstituted in May 1972.
4. Budget: The centre's grant-in-aid for the years 1977 to 1982 inclusive is as follows: 1977, £0.350 m.; 1978, £0.385 m.; 1979, £0.439 m.; 1980, £0.528 m.; 1981, £0.666 m.
An Bord Fuinnimh Nuicleigh.
1. Title: An Bord Fuinnimh Nuicleigh.
2. Function: Functions are detailed in the Nuclear Energy (An Bord Fuinnimh Nuicleigh) Act, 1971.
The main functions are to advise the Minister and the Government on nuclear energy and matters connected therewith including proposals for the construction of nuclear power stations, to keep itself informed of developments in nuclear energy, to prepare draft safety codes and regulations, to promote knowledge, proficiency and research in nuclear science and technology and to act as an agency for the collection and dissemination of nuclear information. The board as agent of the Minister operates a licensing system for the control of radioactive substances and a follow-up inspection system.
3. Date of Establishment: 6 December 1973.
4. Budget: The board is funded by annual grants. Amounts paid to the board by way of grants over the past five years were as follows — 1977, £105,000; 1978, £153,000; 1979, £151,000; 1980, £284,000; 1981, £310,000.
Rate of Increase in Budgets of State-sponsored Bodies as compared with Government Expenditure.
Over the five year period 1977-1981, total Exchequer financed Government expenditure increased by 148%.
This compares with the following rates of increase in the budgets of the various non-commercial State-sponsored bodies:
|
% increase over 1977-1981 |
|
|
Industrial Development Authority |
210% |
|
Shannon Free Airport Development Company |
221%* |
|
Institute for Industrial Research and Standards |
207% |
|
Kilkenny Design Workshops |
101% |
|
Irish Productivity Centre |
90% |
|
Irish Goods Council |
N.A. |
|
Irish Film Board |
N.A. |
|
Nuclear Energy Board |
195% |
(*Includes non-voted capital from Department of Finance).