asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport the progress that has been made in relation to the commitment contained in the Fianna Fáil election manifesto to encourage the development of spin-off industries from CIE's engineering expertise; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - CIE Industrial Activity.
11.
CIE, with my support and encouragement, have been endeavouring to develop spin-off industries, based on their engineering resources and expertise, in the interest of the organisation as a whole and of developing employment opportunities. While the possibilities for CIE engaging in general engineering work for other organisations here are limited at present — because there is a very substantial capacity for this type of work already available in the market — the board are continuing their efforts to develop industrial activity on portion of their Inchicore site. The board have been quite successful as regards securing overseas consultancy work, mainly in the engineering field.
Will the Minister say what progress has been made in relation to the plan mentioned in the Programme for National Recovery which we heard will produce 20,000 new jobs this year? Does he recall that in that programme under the heading of “mechanical engineering”, it was suggested that CIE and Aer Lingus combined — those two companies coming within the aegis of the Minister's Department — could have the potential to generate substantial manufacturing projects? Has any progress been made in identifying such manufacturing projects?
I want to let the Deputy know that the CIE Works have undertaken tasks for the ESB, Bord na Móna and for other large industrial undertakings. As the Deputy knows, the total number of staff in Inchicore is approximately 1,500. We have some consultancies going on in Botswana, Mozambique, Vietnam and Uganda as well.
Bearing in mind that the construction of the rolling stock by CIE which has been in progress over the past couple of years is almost complete — I think there were approximately 125 cars to be manufactured there — will the Minister say if there will be then a run-down, or will there be any further contracts entered into? For example, will there be any danger of loss of jobs when this contract is completed?
I think there is a question on the Order Paper about the rolling stock later. Perhaps we could leave that matter until then.
Does the Minister realise the potential of the Inchicore Works? Does he not envisage scope here — along the lines of what Aer Lingus achieved with Airmotive — perhaps for a joint partnership between CIE and some other engineering firm in order to utilise the human skills and physical resources at Inchicore for the development of a major engineering plant for this city?
I agree with the Deputy that there is a great reservoir of engineering skills at Inchicore. Comparatively recently in similar circumstances in Denmark, as was outlined in the economic survey of Denmark, Mr. Kennedy, now a director of the ESRI, indicated that in Denmark many young people working in these engineering works have set up their own private engineering ventures. It was pointed out that the vast majority of the increases in industrial production in that country arose from that kind of innovative and entrepreneurial spirit engendered in the larger works there. I do not see any reason that the deployment of the vast reservoir of skills that exists in Inchicore would not result in the same kind of entrepreneurial activity here.