asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry if consideration will be given to the setting up of a State industry for processing the products of our forests, in view of the prospect of the establishment of a commercially viable timber processing industry, in order that tax-payers will obtain the full benefit of their investment in the forestry programme.

The Industrial Development Authority in consultation with my Department are at present engaged in a sectoral study of the timber industry. It would be desirable to await the outcome of the study before reaching decisions on the future processing plants which may be required to utilise our increasing wood resources.

In the meantime while this inquiry, discussion and investigation are going on with the longer term in view, is there anything the Minister might do or might influence other Departments to do to utilise the forest products, timber thinnings and so on that are now coming out of the forests in the north-west in abundance and for which there is no processing available there and which, to whatever degree they are used, are being exported, treated or processed and re-imported into the State? Does he not think something should be done about it, not necessarily by his Department? The IDA could do a lot in this regard but they are hamstrung by authority as well.

I have directed the attention of my Department to the need for a timber processing outlet in the north-west. On my assessment of the situation there is a strong case in principle for such an outlet to be established in that general area namely, Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal.

In the meantime would the Minister indicate his very vital interest in this matter? On an interim basis would he have regard to the view held by some of the IDA people that for small processing and so forth there could be made available grants which are being denied at the moment to small operators in Donegal for providing posts, palings, staffs and so forth which we are now sending into the Six Counties having them processed there and then re-imported from there? We cannot get a bob to set up a small plant to do any of that type of work, which is an interim measure; it is not the answer.

Question No. 26.

I will make that point of view know to the IDA.