asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will give details of proposals by Japanese based companies to engage in motor car assembly in this country; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Motor Car Assembly.
13.
As the Deputy is, no doubt, aware, certain Japanese motor vehicles are already being assembled in this country. There is at present no new proposal before my Department or the IDA for the assembly of Japanese cars but proposals of this kind do not necessarily have to be brought to the notice of my Department or of the IDA unless the promoters are seeking some particular facilities.
Can the Minister give me any assurance that in so far as the motor assembly plants located in my constituency are concerned— these are on the Naas Road and in the Ballyfermot area—the introduction of Japanese-assembled cars and other proposed industries, will not result in any real redundancies in the motor assembly trade?
I would very much like to be able to give the Deputy the assurance that there will be no real redundancies. I am prepared at an early date, and the Deputy can advance the date if he wishes to table a question in this regard, to indicate the history of the negotiations in regard to motor assembly in Ireland during the past 18 months or two years. Then, the Deputy will realise the nature of the promises that were made to the public and the nature of the agreements that were entered into by my predecessor and he can judge the source of the shadow that hangs over the Irish motor industry.
Arising from the Minister's unhelpful reply, is he aware that a very extensive site has been bought in the vicinity of the Cherry Orchard Hospital where one motor assembly firm intend carrying out considerable expansion? They have attempted to acquire further acreage so as to ensure that the expansion will be in line with European standards but the planning authority have refused them planning permission on the grounds that permission for housing has already been refused because of the lack of a water supply. All this company wanted the site for was a car park.
Surely, this is a different matter altogether.
Would the Minister not agree that in the negotiations for entry to the EEC, this problem got particular attention from Dr. Hillery and that a certain guarantee was given and certain datelines fixed that would be in the best interests of the motor assembly industry?
I am sure that a suitable opportunity will arise when this matter can be debated fully but this cannot happen at Question Time today.
In view of the reply given by the Minister to Deputy Lemass, it is fair to say that the Minister was against any concessions in respect of the car assembly industry by virtue of the stand he took on Ireland's entry to the EEC?
The Deputy is developing an argument. I am calling Question No. 14.
Any time, Sir, that you find this House is dissatisfied with the Minister's reply you are very anxious to move on. This is a very important question.
The Deputy ought not to attribute unfairness or lack of impartiality to the Chair. The Deputy has a remedy if he is dissatisfied and the Chair is prepared to sit late for it.
Surely the criterion here should be to get quality of answer, not quantity. I wish to raise this matter on the Adjournment.
The Chair has no control over the quality or quantity of questions or answers in this House.
A number of the Deputy's colleagues are driving cars that were not assembled in Ireland.
The Minister was against Ireland's entry into the Common Market.
He certainly was and this is one of the reasons.
How dare you come in here——
Question No. 14.
When I tell the Irish people the details of those negotiations you will not like it because you misrepresented the situation in the car assembly industry at the time.
This is what the Chair sought to avoid. Question No. 14.