asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state if it is correct that C.I.E. are about to import a large quantity of railway coach bogies and fittings from America and, if so, if he will state the total quantity and value of such bogies and fittings.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state if he has received any request from C.I.E. to sanction the importation of a large number of railway coach bogies and fittings from America and, if so, if he will state the quantity and value of such proposed imports.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 and 6 together.

It is not correct that C.I.E. are about to import a quantity of railway coach bogies and fittings from the U.S.A. About 12 months ago, C.I.E. informed me that they proposed to import from Britain 200 fully fabricated bogies to avoid the dislocation of their carriage construction programme. Following discussions, this proposal was not proceeded with.

The board have informed me that they have arranged to import from theU.S.A. 200 steel castings which form the main frames of carriage bogies. The board state that these castings could not be produced in this country and that their importation, in accordance with the board's timetable makes it possible to avoid the disruption of its new coach-building programme and the temporary laying off of members of its coach-building staff.

They could have been produced in the chassis factory.

Could the Minister state whether these castings were formerly made here?

No.

I am informed that they were.

They were intended to be made in the chassis factory.

The chassis factory was closed down.

We are importing stuff which was made here before.

It is true that a new type of construction is involved in the carriages which the board has undertaken to build. The question of their production here before never arose as far as I am aware.