asked the Minister for Lands if he will state (a) what progress has been made in connection with the proposal to establish an industry in the old Irish College at Tourmakeady, County Mayo; (b) whether a lease of the building has been granted to his Department; and, if so, on what date and on what terms; and (c) the reasons for the delay in proceeding with the proposal.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Establishment of County Mayo Industry.
My Department has been considering several proposals for the establishment of an industry in the old Irish College at Tourmakeady, County Mayo, but its efforts up to the present have not fructified. The question of leasing the college building will arise only if a profitable use for it can be found by the Department.
Will the Minister say if the building has been offered to the Department by the Archbishop of Tuam, and, if so, will the Minister say why the Department cannot continue with the proposal to establish an industry there?
Is the Deputy asking me if the building has been offered?
Yes. I understand that it has been offered to the Department and I want to know from the Minister, if that is so, why his Department is not prepared to go ahead with the establishment of a Gaeltacht industry there?
I am sorry if the Deputy has misunderstood me and taken it that I said we were not prepared to go ahead. What I intended to convey was that we are examining the proposals but that we have not yet found it possible to hit on any particular scheme that could be adopted there. Let me assure the Deputy that I am just as anxious as he is to see some industry established there, but it is not so easy to find some useful industry. The moment we do hit on a suitable industry, no delay will be countenanced in starting it.
Does the Minister consider that these proposals will meet with success?
We examined certain proposals but we have had to turn them down because they would not meet with success. We are, however, examining the matter further.
All that is worrying me is that the examination is taking a long time.