§ Mr. BYRNEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Shipping Controller if any report has been or will be made on the facilities for a Government shipbuilding yard in Dublin; if he is aware that there is a site with all facilities available at North Wall; and whether the Government will give to Dublin workers a portion of the shipbuilding in return for the war taxation they are called upon to pay?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAMy hon. Friend has asked me to answer this question. The resources of Dublin, together with those of other shipbuilding centres throughout the United Kingdom, have been thoroughly investigated, with a view to increasing the output of merchant tonnage. I stated, in reply to my right hon. Friend the Member for Londonderry, on 6th November, that there is not at present any intention of establishing a national shipyard in Ireland, as it is considered that in that country the object can best be obtained by improving existing yards and encouraging private enterprise. Proposals for extending one of the existing private shipyards in Dublin are now receiving consideration. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Wicklow (West) on the 7th November, in which I stated that as regards Ireland generally, every effort will be made to allocate to the various yards as much work as can be advantageously undertaken by them.