asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism if, before granting permission to a company (details supplied) to open a plant at Cashel, County Tipperary, consideration was given to the resulting ill-effects on the chipboard factory at Scariff, County Clare, as the products of both companies would be similar; and if an association between both companies was considered.

It has been recognised for some time that there is a need for additional new timber processing plants to utilise the increasing quantities of native timber that will be available from now on. The Deputy may be assured that in the efforts of the IDA to promote new timber processing projects, full account will continue to be taken of the position of existing processing firms such as the one in County Clare to which he refers.