I notice from a reply given in the Dáil last week to a question about the distribution of the amount of grants made since the passing of the original Act that Galway, Sligo, Kerry, Mayo, Donegal, Clare, Leitrim and Roscommon all got something. I notice, at the bottom, that apparently parts of Cork did not succeed in getting any grant approved or any grant paid. I should like to know from the Parliamentary Secretary whether that is due to lack of initiative on the part of the people concerned, or are there at the moment any proposals under consideration for any activity in that area?
Undeveloped Areas (Amendment) Bill, 1957—Committee and Final Stages.
Sections 1 and 2 agreed to.
SECTION 3.
Question proposed: "That Section 3 stand part of the Bill."
The Undeveloped Areas Act is based on the assumption that private enterprise can be induced to come into the undeveloped areas and set up industries there with the aid of an initial grant. Having set up the industry, it then becomes their property. There is no obligation on the Minister in respect either of losses or profits made by the industry. He cannot, for instance, call on any part of the profits by way of refund of the grant and neither can those who establish the industry make a further call on the Minister to help them to offset losses made.
In other words, this Act gives an initial push to people who have either money or technical ability, or both, to overcome the disadvantage of establishing an industry in these undeveloped areas. It depends mainly on the ability of the promoters as to whether or not it will be a success.
There is no obligation on the Minister or on An Foras Tionscal to make inspections of the various areas for the purpose of inducing local people to undertake industrial enterprises. Therefore, the giving of an industry, or otherwise, to any area depends, as Senator Ó Maoláin suggests, on the initiative available inside the district. It does not mean that the capital and the technical ability must be available in the locality, but certainly there should be some agency inside the area which can go after it in other areas or outside the country and induce it to come along with the help of whatever local support can be got.
Did any definite proposals come from that area to An Foras Tionscal?
I am afraid I would not be able to give a precise answer to that question. It is fairly true to say that proposals of some kind or other have come from practically all the areas. I should be surprised if there was any one of these counties, or parts of counties, mentioned in the Act from which some sort of proposal did not emanate. When I say "proposal," I do not mean it in the sense in which it is understood by An Foras Tionscal, but in the ordinary way in which we use the term. I imagine there is hardly an area from which either Deputies or local business people have not come on occasion either to the Department or to An Foras Tionscal with tentative inquiries, at least, about possibilities in respect of industries.
If Senator Ó Ciosáin wants precise information, I imagine I should be able to get it for him.
I merely asked a question.
Question put and agreed to.
Sections 4 to 17, inclusive, agreed to.
Bills reported without amendment, received for final consideration and passed.