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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 29 Sep 1966

Vol. 224 No. 3

Ceisteanna — Questions Oral Answers. - Industrial Promotional Panel.

42.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will make a full statement regarding the industrial promotional panel announced by his predecessor in his speech at the National Stadium on 23rd June last, stating particularly what the exact functions of this panel are, and whether he has yet any results to report from this work.

43.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the names of the members of the Industrial Promotional Panel recently established.

44.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will give an up-to-date account of the activities and achievements of the Industrial Promotional Panel.

With your permission a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to answer Questions Nos. 42, 43 and 44 together.

The members of the panel are:

Mr. D. Carroll, Chairman and Managing Director, P. J. Carroll & Co. Ltd.

Mr. D. Dwyer, Managing Director, Sunbeam Wolsey Ltd.

Mr. P. H. Greer, Managing Director, Unidare Ltd.

Mr. G. P. Jackson, Assistant Managing Director, Arthur Guinness, Son & Co. (Dublin) Ltd.

Mr. Michael Rigby-Jones, Managing Director, Irish Ropes Ltd.

Mr. A. H. Masser, Managing Director, A. H. Masser Ltd.

Mr. J. J. O'Leary, Chairman, Cahill & Co. Ltd.

Dr. Roland Grunzig, Otto Riedel Gardinen, Eyestrup/Wesser, Germany.

Irish firm—Gardimex (Ireland) Ltd., Ennis.

Dr. K. A. Korber, Hauniwerke Korber & Co. K.G., Hamburg-Bergedorf, Kampechaussee 14-18, Germany.

Irish firm—Hauni (Ireland) Ltd., Drogheda.

Dr. Franz Aicher, Gebr. Aicher, Rosenheim/Oberbayern, Kolbermoorerstr. 8, Germany.

Irish firm—Chipboard Ltd., Scariff.

Herr Eberhard Kemper, Classic Bekleidungswerk Kemper K.G., Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

Irish firm—Irish Classic Ltd., Drogheda.

Dr. W. Rodig, Steinbock G.m.b.H. Moosburg, Oberbayern, Germany.

Irish firm—Steinbock Ltd., Galway.

Herr Hans Liebherr, Firma Hans Liebherr, Biberach/Riss, Wurttemburg, Germany.

Irish firm—Liebherr (Ireland) Ltd., Killarney.

Dr. Karl Korner, Mitinhaber der Firma Robert Krups, Solingen-Wald, Postfach 90, Germany.

Irish firm—Krups Engineering Ltd., Limerick.

It is proposed to appoint further members.

The Panel was set up at the request of the Industrial Development Authority to assist them in securing new industries. The panel consists of a number of leading Irish industrialists, and a number of manufacturers from abroad who have established factories here. The Industrial Development Authority have frequently benefited from the help given by various manufacturers in the campaign to attract industries from abroad. The establishment of the panel is intended to make still more effective use of the wide range of foreign contacts of industrialists. The arrangement is aimed at enlisting the help of individual members of the panel in initiating industrial contacts abroad and in advancing the idea of Ireland as an industrial location. The members will, therefore, be concerned with helping the Authority's promotional campaign. The panel arrangement was adopted as it has the advantage of facilitating consultation with individual manufacturers and thus minimising the demands on the panel members' time.

I understand from the Industrial Development Authority that a number of helpful suggestions have already been made by members of the panel.

Could the Minister say how often this panel has met? Would he also state whether or not one of their functions would be to suggest the siting of a factory?

No, I cannot say how often the panel met but I can say that is not one of their functions. Their function is solely confined to assisting in promoting the idea of Irish industry here and utilising the contacts which they make if they are suitable industries which the IDA follow up but they have no function whatever in this. Indeed, the information regarding projects being considered by the IDA is confidential and, under statute, can be communicated only to the Minister for Industry and Commerce.

Mr. O'Leary

Is any financial assistance given by the IDA to members of the panel to assist them in meetings or on trips abroad? Can the Minister give any indication?

As far as I know, the answer is "not" but I am not making that a positive assertion. As far as I know, they are not assisted in that way.

Is it proposed to assist them by way of any financial help?

The general idea is that these men are frequently abroad on their own business and they are asked, when the occasion is suitable, to assist in any particular contact where they will be going.

Mr. O'Leary

The Minister will realise our concern that there will be a little ambiguity about whether they are abroad on their own or on State moneys.

Am I to understand that the Deputy does not like the idea?

Mr. O'Leary

I am just a little interested in whether there is any IDA assistance given to this panel. The Minister admits that these people go abroad on their own business occasionally. My interest is to see that State money is not confused with the private business of people abroad.

We welcome any idea which will be helpful in attracting industry to this country but, again in fairness to the members of this House, the only information we had was a short address of about six lines by the then Minister for Industry and Commerce, Dr. Hillery, when he spoke in the National Stadium in June.

That is not correct.

I do not think there was the fullest information given as to whether or not there would be a Supplementary Estimate.

There was, in fact, an official announcement at the time of the setting up of the panel before the Minister referred to it at the Stadium.

Would the Minister be good enough to give us the fullest information he can in the near future about the activities of this panel, what they have achieved and what they propose to achieve?

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