Is it not a fact that one of the difficulties the timber industry has to labour under is that they are not able to acquire thinnings from State forests at a price which makes the processing of these thinnings economic and that makes it impossible for them to compete with cheap imports from elsewhere? Is that not what has put the industry to the wall?

That is not a fact. It has changed.

Is the Minister saying that any assistance given to indigenous industries is a waste of money?

No.

That is the interpretation that can be taken from what he has said. The Minister mentioned one industry which is very vulnerable and it so happens at present that the vulnerable ones are Irish-owned, indigenous industries. What is the Minister doing about it? Is he calling money being spent throwing it up a cul-de-sac?

I did not say that and the Deputy is aware of that.

Would the Minister say whether and, if so, when the Sean Lemass-type industrial development consortium considered the whole question of the timber industry's future?

If the Deputy puts down a question about that matter he will get a full answer.

Surely a Seán Lemass-type consortium must——

Order.

That is the last we will hear of that.

I am calling the next question.