The Minister referred to a report being prepared at departmental level and indicated that it was not yet completed. Presumably the entire enterprise depends on the quality and the conclusion of that report. Will the putative production date for the smelter possibly be delayed if there is a delay in the production of the report?

No. The date of 1981 remains unchanged. The delay is not in the Department. The report became available to the IDA on 1 February. It is being treated as a matter or urgency. For the information of the Deputy I hope, subject to the views of the IDA board, that the project will be considered by the authority at their meeting in April, following which the IDA's views will be forwarded to the Department of Industry, Commerce and Energy.