asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he will state (1) the total capital of Irish Shipping Ltd., (2) the number of ships owned by the company, (3) the total amount of State money invested in the company, and (4) the total number of the company's ships repaired, overhauled or refitted during the past two years, stating the number sent for repairs, overhaul or refitting to (a) Irish dockyards, and (b) foreign dockyards, and the total cost involved; and if he will state the reasons why all these ships were not repaired, overhauled or refitted in dockyards in the State.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Irish Shipping Ltd.
15.
The authorised capital of Irish Shipping Ltd. is £12,000,000 of which £5,738,000 has been issued and taken up by the State.
The Company's present fleet consists of nineteen ships, comprising sixteen dry-cargo vessels and three tankers.
The repair and overhaul of vessels are matters of day to day administration of the Company and are not within the ambit of my functions. I am aware, however, that it is the continuing policy of the Company to have their vessels repaired at Irish yards whenever it is feasible and economic to do so and that substantial sums are expended by the Company on repairs in Irish yards. It will be appreciated that circumstances are bound to arise from time to time in which repair work must necessarily be carried out abroad, especially in the case of those vessels which do not sail regularly to Irish ports.