asked the Minister for Energy if his Department will undertake a feasibility study on the possibility of the workforce at the Tipperary Anthracite Limited mines at Ballingarry, County Tipperary, operating the mines on a co-operative basis; failing that, if his Department will finance the Ballingarry collieries workforce in undertaking their own feasibility study on the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Ballingarry (Tipperary) Mines.
551.
It would be a matter for any interests contemplating an arrangement with the Receiver for the re-opening of the Ballingarry mine to carry out a feasibility study of the project themselves, whether their approach was on a co-operative or other basis. There are no funds available to my Department to finance such a study, but grants in respect of feasibility studies are provided by the Industrial Development Authority in certain circumstances.
As I stated in my reply to a question by the Deputy on 23 April, any proposal by the workforce to operate the mine on a co-operative basis would have to be addressed to the Receiver of Flair Resources (Ireland) Limited in the first instance. If any such proposal is put to me by the Receiver I will give it due consideration.