asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the present position regarding the proposal for the development of a DDC plant in Cratloe, County Clare; and if he will make a statement regarding the fate of the machinery ordered for it.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Clare DDC Plant.
3.
The Dairy Disposal Company's involvement in this proposal came to an end in 1974 with the transfer of the company's creamery business in County Clare to a co-operative society.
The company have already resold some items of plant which they had acquired for the proposed factory and are negotiating the sale of other items.
Could I ask the Minister whether any loss was sustained in the resale of the plant that had been purchased for the Cratloe enterprise? Could I ask him also for what reason did the Minister abandon the scheme that had been prepared by the previous Government for the establishment in conjunction with the Lans-down enterprise in Limerick city of a skim milk complex in Cratloe? Why was that plan abandoned?
It was abandoned for this reason, that when it came to my time to shoulder the responsibility I found that there was not agreement among the producers in any of the areas and I had the producers from Clare and Limerick in my Department on numerous occasions and eventually a very satisfactory arrangement was arrived at to which they were all agreeable. It is the producers' agreement that I have to be concerned about.
Could I ask the Minister to tell us about the loss that may have been sustained?
I am afraid I have not got the information in the brief that I have here but I have a feeling that the losses, if any, were extremely small. I can supply the Deputy with the information, but not today.
Is it not true that tens of thousands of pounds worth of very expensive plant was rusting in the docks in Cork for many months and that this unnecessary waste was incurred because of the activities of pressure groups at both sides of the Shannon, whereas the position in March, 1973, was that there were 12 East-Limerick creameries and all of County Clare agreed to take part in the Lansdowne-Crathloe operation? All that changed as a result of the Minister's kowtowing to pressure groups.
I am afraid we cannot debate this matter.
It is very peculiar. When I came into office there was no such agreement. In fact, there was violent disagreement. If the Deputy went ahead in the face of this disagreement and purchased expensive equipment that may involve us in loss of some description now, I cannot be responsible for it.
Could I ask the Minister if what will happen now is not the disemployment of the 300 workers now employed by the Lans-downe plant in Limerick city and that these will be phased out of their jobs and will join the 103,000 people who are currently drawing the dole?
That is not a question.
The Deputy knows that it is part of the agreement that there should be no such disemployment of staff.
I hope the Minister is right. I am afraid he is not.
Does the Minister not agree that it was his inactivity that brought about the dissolution of the East Limerick federation, 22 in number, that were there in a solid cohesive form when we left office?
I simply cannot understand the Deputy because no Minister has ever been as active in the rationalisation of the creamery industry as I have been.
It was practically finished. I finished the job myself.
The Deputy did a great lot.
I surely did.
Does the Minister consider that it is proper rationalisation that the 22 East Limerick partners are now amalgamated with three different outlets, Golden Vale, Ballyclough and Mitchelstown?
It is the type of rationalisation the producers themselves wanted.
Encouraged by the Minister.
Why should I discourage men from running their own business?
Next question.