Vol. 340 No. 8
asked the Minister for Industry and Energy if the recommendations of the interdepartmental committee, which analysed both the Telesis and the NESC Reports on industrial policy have been submitted to the Government; if so, if decisions have been taken on them; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
10.
asked the Minister for Industry and Energy if he has yet concluded work on a White Paper on industrial policy; and, if so, when it will be published.
11.
asked the Minister for Industry and Energy when the IDA's new strategic plan for industrial development will be published.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 9, 10 and 11 together.
The Report of the Inter-Departmental Committee on Industrial Policy containing its analysis of the NESC and Telesis Reports and recommendations on them has recently been submitted to the Government.
The draft strategic plan submitted by the IDA is the subject of close scrutiny and discussion by my Department and the IDA.
With the approval of the Government I am now putting in hand the drafting of a White Paper on industrial policy which will take account of the foregoing recommendations and plans. This work will be completed under my supervision and in consultation with the Government task force on employment so that the promotion and development programmes for industry which will emerge will be appropriately integrated with the Government's general economic policies. As I have indicated, the IDA strategic plan, the departmental examination of which is not yet completed, will be a major element in the formulation of the White Paper to be published. It is not my intention at present to have the IDA strategic plan published separately.
It would appear that little work has been done in this area which is a most important one as far as economic and industrial development is concerned. There has never been a White Paper published in this area in the history of the State. What have they been doing for the past three months? The work was well advanced on that White Paper. Is it taking second place to Dáil reform in the Department?
The answer to the last part of the question is "no". The previous Government carried out certain preparatory work on a White Paper. This had to be reviewed and a decision taken to proceed with the preparation of a White Paper.
Would the Minister not accept that two months ago the strategic plan for the IDA was completed and in his office? Would he accept that the inter-departmental committee was not at preparation stage but at finalisation stage and that a considerable amount of work had been done on the White Paper before he took office?
The Deputy will be aware that this Government are only in office for ten weeks. The strategic plan is under scrutiny and discussions are ongoing in relation to it. The report of the interdepartmental committee on industrial policy together with the NESC and Telesis Reports have been the basis of recommendations which have recently been submitted to the Government. I do not accept what the Deputy said that the total work had been done on a White Paper. That is exaggerating his own importance in this matter.
I did not say the total work was done. I said it was progressing well. When does the Minister expect to publish the White Paper or to publish the strategic plan of the IDA? Obviously the Government have not made up their minds about this despite the fact that during the election campaign they had their minds made up on many aspects of industrial policy. What will happen to industrial and economic policy in the meantime?
The Deputy can be assured that the Government have given priority to industrial policy. I am sure when the White Paper is published the work will be seen to have been of benefit to the evolution of industrial policy. As I said in my reply, it is not my intention at this stage to publish the IDA's strategic plan separately.
I should like——
We must go on to the next question.
This is the most important factor in the development of economic and industrial policy and surely——
It is probably so important that it is not suitable to debate in detail at Question Time.
I put down three questions and if it is unreasonable to ask at least one supplementary on each question then I do not know what I am doing here.
The Deputy has asked a number of supplementaries.
With all due respect, I have asked only two supplementaries.
This is the last one.
Do the Government intend to set up all the committees they spoke about during the election campaign before they put forward any policy? Is it their intention to let the policy in relation to grants and company grants continue in a vacuum until guidelines have been produced? Are they putting the cart before the horse? What is the intention? Will they leave policy aside until they set up all the committees, the national planning board and so on? Is it not a fact that Dáil reform has taken over in that Department and that there is not one single job to be created from it?
The answer to the last part of the question is "no".
That question has already been asked and answered.
With regard to industrial policy, Deputies can be assured that this Government will pursue the best interests of industry.
But committees?
