Helen Keogh
Question:18 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications if he intends to implement the recommendations of the Task Force on the Minerals Industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11378/95]
Written Answers. - Recommendations on Mineral Industry.
The Report of the National Minerals Policy Review Group was published on 12 May 1995, to give interested parties as well as the general public an opportunity to comment on the report and the 52 recommendations in it. Few people have commented so far and the organisations representative of the minerals industry have yet to do so. I arranged for a copy of the Report to be supplied to every member of Dáil and Seanad Éireann.
The report provides an important input into the development of a sound national minerals policy for the years ahead and has to be carefully examined, particularly because of the major implications of some of the recommendations for the Exchequer and public administration as well as the wide-ranging revisions to existing legislation which the report also calls for. As the Deputy will appreciate, the recommendations in the report relate to areas of responsibility of most other Ministers who are clearly entitled to time to examine the recommendations and to give me their considered views before I can finalise proposals in response to the report.
I confirm that I am giving priority attention to the report and I expect to be able to respond comprehensively to the report within the next few months.