asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he has any proposals to install testing facilities and establish a centre for testing safety frames for tractors in view of the fact that it will be a statutory obligation to have them fitted from September, 1977.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Tractor Safety Frames.
16.
Under the regulations safety frames fitted to tractors as from the 1st September next must be of a type capable of satisfying the tests prescribed in the OECD standard code for the official testing of agricultural tractors. New tractors have, of course, complied with these regulations since 1970 and several makes of approved frames are being imported. An Foras Talúntais are the officially designated authority for the implementation of the code in this country and can arrange for the testing of new types of frames manufactured in this country. At present this testing is carried out in Britain on the institute's behalf. This arrangement works satisfactorily and it is not considered that the establishment by the institute of separate testing facilities would be justified at present.
Is the Minister aware that many smaller engineering firms are interested in manufacturing those safety frames and if they wish to have the prototypes tested they have to be sent to England and it costs something in the region of £500 or £600, plus carriage, to have that test carried out?
I was not so aware. That is all I can say on that one. I will have it looked into. The Deputy's figures surprise me.
Would the Minister agree many engineering firms are in need of that type of work which is continuous and for which there will be a demand? This comes into operation in less than 12 months. Will the Department ensure that these facilities are available at the IIRS or the institute as this would be helpful to those small industrialists?
I inquired whether the facilities were available at the centres the Deputy mentioned and I was told they are not and that it would not be worth providing them because of the small amount of work of this type which would have to be done. It would be expensive to set up this testing machinery and there would be a very limited amount of testing to be done.
It would be ongoing once it came into operation.
I am not at all sure it would be. We have many frames which were tested in England before being imported and which we know to be safe and suitable. Only extra ones which are produced will have to be tested. The whole country will not get into the production of tractor frames overnight.
Do I gather from the Minister's reply that he favours the importation of tractor frames rather than having them manufactured here and creating jobs in Ireland for Irish people?
If the Deputy wants to put that construction on my reply I cannot prevent him from doing so. There is no reason whatever for that interpretation.
Question No. 17.
Is the Minister prepared to do anything about the extra costs Deputy Leonard has been talking about to subsidise the small firms who are getting these tests carried out in England?
I am prepared to look at the matter and investigate it. My initial investigations indicate that it would not be worth putting money into a project of this kind having regard to the return which would be available.
In other words, the Minister would prefer to have them imported.
Next question.