asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry the plans, if any, he has to utilise the increasing amount of timber now available from our forests in the north-west.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Timber Utilisation.
18.
The Industrial Development Authority, in consultation with the Forest and Wildlife Service of my Department, are engaged in a comprehensive study of the timber processing industry.
The position of the north-west of the country will be considered, in common with other areas, in the context of locations for further industrial development or expansion in this sector.
I wish to draw the Chair's attention to the fact that these so-called amplifiers or speakers up here might as well not be in position. I have done this several times and I am drawing the Chair's attention to it again but nothing has been done.
Arising out of the Minister's reply, might I ask the Minister whether, in the interim between now and whatever time in the long distance future it may be, anything might be done to utilise the ever-increasing amounts of forest products in the north-west? Would the Minister at least look into the possibility of getting the IDA to grant-aid small processing plants to utilise some of the surplus rather than have it exported raw, treated and then reimported into this side of the Border as is now the case?
I want to emphasise again that this is not a matter which will be a long distance into the future. The study is practically completed and particular attention has been paid to the north-west in that study. I am aware, as the Deputy says, that we have this exportation of raw timber to firms across the Border, and it is desirable that there should be an expansion of timber processing facilities generally in the north-west. I will certainly pursue that matter actively.
Will the Minister ask the IDA whether they have proposals of quite a modest nature that would at least for the moment take some of this surplus and have it processed? Even though it would be a very small processing that would be in question, nevertheless it would be getting somewhere rather than just leaving it scattered and exported raw.
I will do that. The section in the study relating to the saw-milling section is completed and that is to hand.
That could be used for fencing posts and such.
Quite. I can secure help in this direction and I will write to the Deputy.
It is gratifying to know the Minister is taking an interest in it. When he says he is having a comprehensive examination and that it is not a plan for a long distance into the future but for the immediate future, is the Minister ignoring the fact that this has been going on for about ten years?
I am not talking about the past. I am talking about the present——
I thought the Minister was talking about the future?
——and so far as the present is concerned the overall study in regard to timber processing for the whole country is practically completed. The saw milling section is completed and that study has particular relevance to the north-west.
Is the Minister aware that pit props, as they are commonly known, have been exported from Donegal for the past ten or 15 years? Is it only because Deputy Blaney put down a parliamentary question that the Minister is now having a comprehensive investigation?
Every Deputy in this House gets the exact same treatment from me in regard to a reply to a parliamentary question, which it is the right of every Deputy here to put down. There will be no distinction so far as that is concerned in my reply to any Deputy's question no matter where he comes from.
It is because the Minister treats every Deputy in the way he does that I am asking this question.