asked the Minister for the Environment the steps he proposes to take to stimulate the building industry in view of the over-all drop of 60 persons in employment in Gypsum, Kingscourt, County Cavan.
Written Answers. - Kingscourt (Cavan) Industry.
485.
The decline in output and employment in the building materials sector reflects the current situation in the construction industry arising mainly from the steep decline in private investment in recent years. The Government's response set out in the National Economic Plan Building on Reality has been to maintain public investment affecting the industry at the highest sustainable level and in particular to provide for substantially increased investment in roads while maintaining high levels of investment in the housing, sanitary services, education and health sectors. The plan also provided for the introduction of a number of new policy measures in the housing area which will stimulate overall investment in this sector.
As regards the employment situation at Gypsum Industries, Kingscourt, I understand that following an investigation by the EC Commission, the Spanish suppliers of plasterboard have agreed to increase their prices so as to eliminate on average the margin of dumping. This should be of significant help towards the maintenance and consolidation of Gypsum Industries operations in Ireland.