asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state by what authority or under what powers arrangements were entered into to pay Messrs. Siemens Schuckertwerke the sum of £5,000 for the preparation of the scheme for the development of the River Shannon, as set out in the White Paper; what expenditure on the part of the Government, in addition to the £5,000, will be necessary in connection with the investigation work; under what Estimate the money necessary for the Shannon Investigation has been provided; further, whether the Ministry of Industry and Commerce were advised by any power supply engineer in the matter of the Siemens Schuckertwerke arrangement; whether any opportunity was given to any firm other than Messrs. Siemens to put forward proposals for the Shannon power investigation and development.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - RIVER SHANNON DEVELOPMENT.
No liability for the payment of £5,000 to Messrs. Siemens can arise until firstly, their scheme has been approved by experts; secondly, the Government has decided not to promote that scheme; and thirdly, Messrs. Siemens have had a period of 12 months to promote the scheme themselves. The liability may therefore never arise, and in any event cannot arise for a considerable time. If it does arise, provision will be made in the appropriate Estimates.
The only expenditure on the part of the Government in connection with the investigation work will be the cost of employing experts. This, should it fall due in this financial year, will be provided for in a Supplementary Estimate for the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, if not met out of savings on other items in the Ministry's Vote.
The Ministry was not advised in the matter by any power supply engineer; the stage for such advice will arrive when Messrs. Siemens detailed proposals are available. No firm other than Messrs. Siemens has sought an opportunity to put forward proposals relating to the Shannon, and consequently no other firm has been given that opportunity. If Messrs. Siemens can satisfy experts of their ability to distribute from the Shannon power in sufficient quantity at an economic price and a minimum capital cost for the whole Free State, there is no need to invite other firms to put forward a similar scheme.
Arising out of that answer, will the Minister state whether it is contemplated that the production of power from the Shannon, which he said in his reply to the first question could be distributed to supply the whole Free State, should be to the exclusion of power schemes generated from other power-producing rivers?
Not necessarily. If it be sufficient to supply the whole Free State there would be no necessity to generate other power. In other words, it would be extra expense, and the cost of production would naturally be increased if the Shannon scheme can supply a sufficiency of current for the whole Free State.
I would like to ask the Minister if any estimate has been made as to the area of land that would be submerged if this scheme is carried through?
The necessary steps would be taken to obviate such a possibility as that in the arrangement of the scheme.