asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism if he will name the bodies that make up the Industrial Development Consortium; the number and dates of meetings held by the Consortium since it was established; if it has reported to him; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Industrial Development Consortium.
21.
The membership of the Industrial Development Consortium is drawn from my Department, the Departments of Finance and Labour, the Industrial Development Authority, Córas Tráchtála, the Institute for Industrial Research and Standards, Shannon Free Airport Development Company, the Industrial Credit Corporation, Fóir Teoranta, An Chomhairle Oiliúna, the Irish Goods Council and Údarás na Gaeltachta. The membership of the consortium is, however, flexible and representatives of other bodies may attend as required.
The consortium held plenary meetings on seven occasions: 25 January 1978, 23 February 1978, 30 March 1978, 14 June 1978, 20 July 1978, 29 November 1978, 24 January 1980. There were also many additional meetings of special sub-groups established by the consortium.
The work of the consortium, which I dealt with in some detail in reply to questions on 13 November 1979, brought about a high level of cohesion and co-operation among State agencies to maximise the contribution of these agencies to industrial development. This was one of its main objectives.
The consortium established ten sub-groups to deal with specific matters. At its last meeting the consortium decided that its work could be more effectively carried out through such sub-groups and at meetings of smaller groups of the people directly involved from within its membership. It is not expected that the consortium will meet again in its original form but the work which it initiated will be carried on through these smaller groups.
As I have chaired all the meetings of the consortium, the question of reporting to me does not arise. Where, however, reports have been prepared by or for any of the sub-groups of the consortium these have been submitted to the relevant Departments.
This is like Dante's Inferno.
From his reply the Minister has raised this body from the status of the spook of Schoolhouse Lane——
A question, please.
Since its establishment has it been of any use? If so, in what way has it been of benefit to the Minister and the Department? If it has been of use why is he now abolishing it?
I am not abolishing it. The consortium decided it would be better if in future it worked through various sub-groups——
Press the self-destruct button.
—rather than operate in its original form.
I would like to compliment the Minister on the courage he displayed in not giving that idiotic reply in the form of a tabular statement.
The Deputy is not entitled to make a statement, complimentary or otherwise. He is entitled to ask a question.
The Minister could have avoided a lot of criticism for an idiotic reply by saying he was going to issue a tabular statement which the long list of agencies he mentioned would have justified. Let me ask him, before the House sings "Will ye no' come back again?" to the Industrial Development Consortium, if he considers that the work of that consortium represents something which could not have been done on the telephone between the relevant officials of any two of the agencies he mentioned?
No, I do not.
Is the telephone system that bad?
No.
A parting shot before the Industrial Development Consortium sails over the horizon and into the sunset——
If the Deputy does not intend asking supplementary questions he should not rise.
This is a solemn moment. The Industrial Development Consortium is sailing over the horizon and into the sunset and will never——
The Deputy is making a joke out of Question Time.
In the light of experience over the last three years does the consortium deserve the epithet which the manifesto conferred on it, namely, the Seán Lemass type Industrial Development Consortium?
Question No. 22 for written reply.