asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state if any progress has been made recently towards the establishment of a biscuit factory in Ballina.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Ballina Biscuit Factory.
Discussions are at present in progress with certain interests regarding the possibility of establishing a biscuit factory at Ballina, but I cannot anticipate their outcome.
Would there be any hope of transferring these plans to South Galway?
It could be done. The Deputy should, perhaps, realise that one of the difficulties in getting this project started in Ballina is that it has become a matter of political controversy.
The Minister said there was no difficulty at all two years ago.
One year ago the position was the project had been approved and that a grant of £70,000 by Foras Tionscail had been allocated. The plans were proceeding. They had reached the stage where architect's designs for the factory premises had been completed and I understand tenders for the construction of thepremises were being invited when one of the parties to the project decided to withdraw. It is now necessary to reconstitute the project and I am hopeful that will be done, but it will help considerably if Deputies will stop trying to make political capital out of it.
Would the Minister not consider the same racket might work now in South Galway?