asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he is aware that the railway bridge at Fota, Co. Cork, is not yet repaired; whether he will take immediate steps to have competent engineers, with suitable machinery, sent at once to put this bridge in order, and have the line opened up immediately to receive the American and other Continental trade which has been diverted to British ports owing to the destruction of this bridge.

A contract for the permanent repair of this bridge has already been placed, and the work is proceeding. The repair is due for completion by 16th June next.

It is now over five weeks since I asked a similar question to this, and was told that the bridge would be repaired within a fortnight from then, but still nothing has been done. Is the Minister aware that the country is losing some hundreds of thousands of revenue owing to the continued state of this bridge as a result of it not being able to handle overseas traffic? Can I rely upon it that the bridge will be repaired within a fortnight or some definite period?

I have given the answer that the repairs are due for completion by the 16th June next. The previous answer dealt with temporary repairs to be carried out by the Maintenance Corps.

Do I understand from the Minister that the Maintenance Corps are about to re-open this bridge temporarily in the near future, and that we can get communication between Cobh and Cork over this bridge within the next fortnight or three weeks through the medium of the Maintenance Corps?

I have stated, in answer to the Deputy, that permanent repairs are to be completed by the 16th June next.

That is a long way off.