asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will make a statement on Government policy respecting the position of the Great Northern Railway Company and intimate if it is the intention to purchase the assets of the company in the Twenty-Six Counties or to incorporate or amalgamate the line with Córas Iompair Éireann, and if he will consider taking steps, in the event of the Six-County Government refusing to take steps to avoid the closing down of the portion of the Great Northern Railway system that operates in the Six Counties, to register a company in the Six Counties to purchase these assets so that a working arrangement and co-ordination of services with that portion of the line in the Twenty-Six Counties may be maintained.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Great Northern Railway Company.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether, in view of the recent statements indicating the intention of the board of directors of the Great Northern Railway Company to close down the entire system by 31st December, 1950, he is prepared to make an announcement of Government policy on the matter and whether he will indicate what steps he intends to take to safeguard the interests of the Irish workers involved and, particularly, what the position of the Great Northern Railway Company will be in regard to its liability to present and prospective pensioners under the various pension schemes in operation on the Great Northern Railway system.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 60 and 61 together.
As the Deputies are aware, I have had discussions with the Northern Minister of Commerce in the course of the past week concerning the position of the Great Northern Railway. It is expected that these discussions will be resumed in the near future and I am not yet in a position to make any statement to the House. As I indicated in reply to similar questions on the 25th October, 1950, it is obvious that the future of the transport system in the area under the jurisdiction of this Government and the employment of our people therein cannot be a matter of indifference to the Government and suitable steps must ultimately be taken adequately to protect both of these vital interests of the country.