asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he can supply the names of the owners and situation of the several slate quarries in West Cork to whom grants were made during the past year, the amount of grant in each case and what increased employment and what increased output (in tons per week) resulted from such State aid.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Grants to West Cork Slate Quarries.
Grants out of funds allocated for the relief of unemployment have been made in respect of slate quarries in West Cork as follows:—
|
Situation. |
Recipient of Grant. |
Allocation. |
|
£ |
||
|
Snave, near Bantry, Co. Cork. |
Killaloe Slate Quarry Co., Ltd.,Nenagh, Co. Tipperary. |
800 |
|
Curraghlickey, Dunmanway, Co. Cork. |
Stephen Hodnett, Curraghlickey. |
200 |
|
Drimoleague, Co. Cork. |
H. W. Deane, Drimoleague. |
300 |
|
Drimoleague, Co. Cork. |
T. J. Beamish, Drimoleague. |
300 |
It is not possible to measure the precise results of the expenditure of these grants in terms of employment and output.
The Minister understands, of course, that there is a great shortage of Irish slate at present and I wonder if by some stimulation of this industry in West Cork some effort could be made by the owners of these quarries to try to fill the requirements and supply the needs of even the Country Cork at the present time. The Minister will appreciate that I am not raising this question for the purpose of putting him in an embarrassing position. In respect of the Snave Quarry an allocation of £800 has been made. Could the Minister give us any idea as to the amount of slates marketed out of the Snave Quarry as a result of that grant?
The expenditure of the £800 was, first of all, for the purpose of proving the existence of slate worth exploiting and, secondly, to clear overburden and, in other ways, to make it available for exploitation. The next stage must be development by private enterprise and I understand that in that particular case the necessary steps to that end are being taken at the moment.
But so far these quarries have not yet come to a commercial basis of output.
In relation to one, the development grant is being expended at the moment.
In respect of the Snave Quarry, where the greatest amount money has been spent, has there been any attempt at a commercial output yet?
I understand that measures have been taken for the formation of a company to exploit it.
At Snave?
Yes.
These deposits of slate are very valuable in West Cork and, having regard to the requirements of the country, would the Minister receive sympathetically any application made to him for an extra grant towards further development of these quarries with a view to putting them on a commercial basis to meet the needs of the country?
In relation to the four quarries to which I have referred, the allocation which has been made has been sufficient to prove whether the quarries are worth working or not. If there are other deposits to be proved, I should be glad to receive information concerning them and to have them inspected by a geologist.