asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state whether he has seen the published reports of a statement made by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Taoiseach and to the Minister for Industry and Commerce to the effect that 75 new industries or factories have been approved by him; whether such statement is accurate; and, if so, (a) in how many of such factories has production commenced; (b) in how many does the number of workers exceed 20; (c) in how many cases were proposals relative to the establishment of such factories submitted to his Department prior to 1948; (d) in how many cases, if any, have licences been issued under the Control of Manufactures Acts; (e) the location or proposed location by counties and county boroughs of these factories; (f) whether any of them and, if so, how many will be engaged in the production of goods not previously manufactured in this country, and the nature of such goods; and (g) how many such factories are being established by public companies and whether in such cases a public issue of shares has been made or is intended.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - New Industries.
I have seen the report referred to. Eighty-one new industrial proposals had, at the date of the statement, received my approval. The answers to the other parts of the Deputy's question are:—
(a) Fourteen have reached the production stage.
(b) In three of the factories in production the number of workers employed exceeds 20.
(c) Sixteen of the proposals had been brought before my Department prior to 1948.
(d) In seven cases new manufacture licences under the Control of Manufactures Acts have been issued.
(e) The locations, actual or proposed, are:—
|
Dublin Borough and County |
39 |
|
Cork Borough and County |
5 |
|
Galway Borough and County |
4 |
|
County Tipperary |
3 |
|
County Cavan |
2 |
|
County Wicklow |
3 |
|
County Clare |
1 |
|
Offaly |
2 |
|
County Westmeath |
1 |
|
County Donegal |
1 |
|
Laoighis |
1 |
|
Limerick Borough and County |
1 |
|
Waterford Borough and County |
1 |
|
County Kerry |
1 |
|
Not yet settled |
16 |
(f) It is not possible to say with absolute certainty how many will engage in the manufacture of goods not previously made here, but in 26 cases, the products contemplated do not appear to have been manufactured here before. I do not think it desirable to disclose the particular commodities in advance of the production stage.
(g) I am not in a position to say in what cases, if any, the promoters propose to form public companies or to make public issues of shares. None of the 14 concerns which are in production are owned by public companies.