asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is aware that a Brick Works at Rathnew, Co. Wicklow, has been closed for some time, and that the expense of erecting houses in Co. Wicklow is thereby much increased owing to cost of transport of bricks from Dublin, and if he is prepared to take steps with a view to having the works re-opened.

At the present time, nearly all brick works in An Saorstát are closed down, owing, I am informed, to the higher cost of using brick for building purposes as compared with the cost of cement work. One works in Dublin has over 5,000,000 bricks in stock at the moment.

The proprietors of the Rathnew Brick Works are, I understand, prepared to re-open their works, provided an assurance is given them that local labour will accept a wage which will permit of the industry being conducted on economic lines, and that a sufficient demand can be obtained for bricks produced at these works.

And that sufficient profit can be made out of the industries. Is that it?

As one connected with that industry, may I point out that at the present moment the company owns three cement works, and that two of them are closed down.