INDUSTRIAL GRANTS (AMENDMENT) ACT, 1963

AN ACT TO EXTEND THE DURATION OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE INDUSTRIAL GRANTS ACT, 1959, AND TO AMEND THAT ACT AND THE INDUSTRIAL GRANTS (AMENDMENT) ACT, 1961. [20th February, 1963.]

BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS:—

1 Interpretation.

1.—In this Act—

“the Board” means An Foras Tionscal;

“the Minister” means the Minister for Industry and Commerce;

“the Principal Act” means the Industrial Grants Act, 1959;

“the undeveloped areas” means the areas to which the Undeveloped Areas Acts, 1952 to 1963, apply.

2 Amounts of grants under section 2 of Principal Act.

2.—(1) Subject to subsection (2) of this section, the total amount of the grants made by the Board in respect of an industrial undertaking under subsection (1) of section 2 of the Principal Act shall not exceed—

• (a) where the total is not more than two hundred and fifty thousand pounds—

• (i) in case the Board are of opinion that there are sound economic reasons why the undertaking cannot be established or developed in the undeveloped areas and that other exceptional circumstances exist in relation to the undertaking, two-thirds of the total amount of the costs in respect of which the grants are made (being costs of the kind referred to in subsections (2) and (3) of that section), and

• (ii) in any other case, one-half of the total amount of the costs aforesaid,

and

• (b) where the total is more than two hundred and fifty thousand pounds—

• (i) one-half of the total amount of the costs aforesaid, or

• (ii) the sum in pounds that equals the figure obtained by multiplying by one thousand the number of persons that, in the opinion of the Board, will be employed in the undertaking when it is in full operation, less such number of persons (if any) as were employed therein immediately before the incurring of the expenditure in relation to which the grants are paid,

whichever is the less.

• (2) The Government may approve of the making of grants by the Board in respect of an industrial undertaking under the said section 2 the total of which exceeds two hundred and fifty thousand pounds and exceeds one or both of the limits specified in paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of this section, and where in relation to any grants an approval has been given under this subsection, subsection (1) of this section shall not apply in respect of those grants.

3 Consent of Minister and of Minister for Finance for certain grants exceeding £500,000 for an undertaking.

3.—The Board shall not make grants under section 2 of the Principal Act (other than grants in relation to which an approval has been given under subsection (2) of section 2 of this Act) in respect of an industrial undertaking exceeding in total five hundred thousand pounds without the consent of the Minister and of the Minister for Finance.

4 Grants for the enlargement or adaptation of undertakings.

4.—(1) The Board may make grants on such terms as they think proper towards the cost of enlarging an industrial undertaking in an area other than an undeveloped area or of adapting the machinery, plant, equipment, buildings or other works of the undertaking so as to enable the business of the undertaking to be carried on more efficiently or to enable the undertaking to engage in the manufacture of products not manufactured by it before the making of the enlargement or adaptation.

• (2) A grant under this section shall not exceed one quarter of the cost of the enlargement or adaptation in respect of which the grant is made.

• (3) A grant shall not be made under this section in respect of the enlargement of an industrial undertaking or the adaptation of the plant, equipment, buildings or other works thereof if a grant can be made under any other provision of the Industrial Grants Acts, 1959 to 1963, in respect of the enlargement or adaptation.

• (4) A grant may be made under this section in respect of an enlargement or adaptation commenced on or after the 14th day of December, 1961, and before the date of the passing of this Act.

• (5) A grant shall not be made under this section after the 31st day of March, 1965, in respect of an enlargement or adaptation unless the enlargement or adaptation is approved by the Board before the said 31st day of March, 1965.

• (6) Grants under this section shall be made out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas.

5 Grants for training of workers.

5.—(1) The Board may make grants, on such terms as they think proper, for the training, either in the State or elsewhere, of workers in skilled processes of an industrial undertaking in an area other than an undeveloped area if the Board are satisfied that—

• (a) the undertaking would be likely to provide or maintain employment in the area,

• (b) financial assistance is necessary to ensure its establishment, maintenance or development, and

• (c) it is of a reasonably permanent nature and will be carried on efficiently.

• (2) The total amount so granted shall not exceed the actual amount of the wages paid by the undertaking to the workers during their period of training together with, in the case of workers trained outside the State, the amount of their expenses of travel and subsistence.

• (3) Grants under this section shall be paid out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas.

6 Grants for roads, bridges, harbour works, railway lines and facilities, housing and canteens.

6.—(1) The Board may, in aid of an industrial undertaking likely to provide or maintain employment in an area other than an undeveloped area, make grants, on such terms as they think proper, for—

• (a) the construction and repair of roads, bridges, harbour works and railway lines and facilities,

• (b) the provision of houses and other dwelling accommodation and canteens and other places of refreshment or recreation for persons employed in the undertaking.

• (2) Before making a grant under this section in respect of a public road or bridge, the Board shall consult with the Minister for Local Government.

• (3) Grants under this section shall be paid out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas.

7 Limitation on total amount of grants.

7.—(1) The aggregate amount of grants made by the Industrial Development Authority under the Industrial Grants Act, 1956, and of grants (other than grants under section 12 of the Undeveloped Areas Act, 1952) made by the Board and the Minister under the Undeveloped Areas Acts, 1952 to 1963, and the Industrial Grants Acts, 1959 to 1963, and of payments made by the Board and the Minister on foot of guarantees given by the Board and the Minister under the Principal Act shall not exceed twenty million pounds.

• (2) The aggregate amount of grants under section 12 of the Undeveloped Areas Act, 1952 and section 3 of the Industrial Grants Act, 1956, shall not exceed twenty million pounds.

8 General duty of Board with respect to national aims.

8.—In performing its functions the Board shall bear constantly in mind the national aims of decentralising industry and of attracting industries to the undeveloped areas and shall endeavour to promote the attainment of those aims.

9 Repeals.

9.—Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) and subsections (2) to (6) of section 2, subsection (3) of section 3, subsection (2) of section 4 and section 6 of the Principal Act are hereby repealed.

10 Short title and collective citation.

10.—(1) This Act may be cited as the Industrial Grants (Amendment) Act, 1963.

• (2) The Principal Act, the Industrial Grants (Amendment) Act, 1961 (in so far as it amends that Act), and this Act may be cited together as the Industrial Grants Acts, 1959 to 1963.