asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that Irish Shipping, Limited, sent the s.s. Irish Pine to a Welsh port for major repairs, and whether, in view of the large number of unemployed in the Irish ship-repairing industry, he will take steps to ensure that where possible these repairs are carried out in this country.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Repairs to Irish Ship.
I have no function in this matter which is one for the board of the company; and I have no statutory powers to ensure that repairs to Irish ships are carried out in this country. I may say, however, that I understand that there is no drydock in Dublin long enough to accommodate the s.s. Irish Pine. The Deputy may have observed from statements which appeared in the Press within the last few days that there were already seven large vessels, including the Irish Oak and the Irish Rose, undergoing or awaiting repairs at Cork Dockyard, so that it was impossible for that dockyard to undertake the repairs urgently required to the s.s. Irish Pine.