asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is aware that a large deposit of the raw material of first class quality for the making of cement exists at Piercetown, Skerries; whether his Department had considered the feasibility of developing this deposit, and starting a cement works; if he could give an estimate of the amount of this material available, of the approximate capital expenditure, output, and annual working costs of a cement-making plant of an economic size to utilise and work this deposit, and further, if his Department had not considered this matter, whether any steps were being taken to develop and utilise this valuable deposit, and if no steps were being taken by the present owners of the property to develop it, would he be prepared to favour proposals for its development if put forward by other parties.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - DEVELOPING CEMENT MAKING.
The Department has full information in the matter of materials for the manufacture of cement at Skerries and in other parts of the country, and has during the last few years persistently encouraged certain groups who examined into the possibility of opening a cement works in the Saorstát. Unfortunately, after examination of the conditions governing possible manufacture, none of these groups was prepared, even with the financial assistance which could be given by the Department under the Trade Loans (Guarantee) Act, to embark on the undertaking. The Department would welcome any proposals from other parties and will examine such proposals sympathetically.
I do not feel it desirable that I should express opinions here on details which are essentially a matter for experts, but it may be taken that there are sufficient materials in the neighbourhood of Skerries to supply cement works large enough to meet the full demand of the Saorstát for an indefinite period. For a cement works of, say, 100,000 tons production the approximate capital expenditure would be from £350,000 to £400,000. With regard to that part of the question which deals with the annual working-costs of a cement-making plant, it will be realised that the essential point in the case of such a factory is to determine what would be the cost of production per ton of cement. On this point the various groups who have examined into the question have informed the Department that taking into account the present relevant items of cost in this country cement could not be made to compete with imported cement, and it was for this reason that the proposals under consideration did not materialise.
Can the Parliamentary Secretary say if there are any cement works working in the Saorstát at the present time?
No.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary investigate as to whether there is dumping going on in reference to cement?
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that there are cement works operating within the Thirty-two Counties and turning out cement able to compete with any imported cement?
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that cement works purchased by foreign capitalists and operating within the Saorstát were closed down and re-offered for sale, and that in the terms of sale there was a paragraph containing the statement that the works would not be allowed to be used for the manufacture of Portland cement by the purchaser?
I am noting the remarks of the different Deputies who have spoken on this question.