asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will intervene immediately to ensure that a company (details supplied) in County Clare does not go out of business; if he will put a restructured package together to ensure that this company remain in business; if he will acknowledge the high quality of products made available by this company; the proposals he has to save this company; the efforts that he is making; the up-to-date position; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - County Clare Company.
50.
Limerick East): As the Deputy will be aware the company in question were recently obliged to lay off most of their workforce due to the fact that they have almost completed a production run of rural buses for CIE and have no further orders on hand. To date, the company have been reliant on the domestic market demand for buses to maintain production levels. However, they recognised that their long term viability had to be based on export orders and have recently supplied a prototype bus to a UK operator. Testing of this bus will take some months yet but the company have expressed their confidence of securing additional orders which would allow them to recommence production. I can assure the Deputy that everything possible will be done by the appropriate State agencies to assist the company in identifying and developing export outlets and thereby improving its future prospects.