asked the Minister for Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism if he will make a statement on policy concerning the future of the paper industry.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers - Paper Industry.
2.
As in the case of other sectors of manufacturing industry, I regard the development of the paper and paperboard sector as being a matter primarily for the individual manufacturers concerned. The role of the State and of State agencies would be to assist and, where appropriate, to encourage the development of manufacture by the individual interests involved.
Will the Minister inform the House of the present position in regard to the only paper manufacturing plant we had, which was closed down and later subject to some sort of agreement — it was a rabbit out of the hat type of agreement — to get over a difficult situation in the House? Will the Minister tell the House if the company concerned have taken over Clondalkin Paper Mills and, if so, when do they intend going into production?
The question on the Order Paper is a general one about policy concerning the manufacture of paper.
We only have one paper making industry here.
The supplementary put by Deputy Reynolds relates to a specific company and I am not allowing it.
I will rephrase the question. There is only one paper manufacturing unit here and that closed down. The question can refer only to Clondalkin Paper Mills and if the Minister does not come clean and tell us the score I will leave it to the public to judge.
I am ruling the Deputy's supplementary question out of order.
The Minister is not in a position to back up the undertaking he gave three or four weeks ago. There has not been any move in regard to Clondalkin. Now we know what the position is.
The Minister did not appear very happy the night he slipped in a piece of paper to Deputy Eddie Collins at the end of the debate on that subject.