Committee Reports > List of Committees > Dáil > 1967 > Committee of Public Accounts > Report - Appropriation Accounts 1965 - 1966

APPENDIX XVIII.

KILKENNY DESIGN WORKSHOPS LIMITED

An Cléireach,

An Coiste um Chúntais Phoiblí.

At the meeting of the Committee on 23rd February, 1967 I undertook to furnish some further information about contributions by industry to the Kilkenny Design Workshops Ltd. No subventions were received before 31st March, 1966. Since my minute of 8 Lunasa, 1966 (Appendix XVII to 1964/65 Report) a further grant of $5,000 (approx. £1,800) has been received from the Irish Institute (U.S.A.) towards a scholarship which will not be called upon before June, 1967. No other subventions have been received. The contributions from industry for candle research were in the form of advice on the research and in loans of staff to help the research. Various schemes for suitable forms of subvention are from time to time considered but so far none has materialised.

In regard to prizes for the Design Competition organised by the Workshops these were in most cases paid direct to the winners by the contributing firms. Kilkenny Design Workshops received £600 which was immediately distributed to prize winners.

The Company engages in commercial activities to the extent that it offers designs to industry on a royalty or fee paying basis. It also sells the day to day products of the workshops; these go mainly to visitors to the workshops. Orders have been received from silversmiths for goods manufactured in the workshops and the receipts treated as sales in the Workshop Account. To date no commissions for design work have been received by the Workshops from either jewellers or silversmiths.

(Signed) J. C. B. MacCARTHY,

Department of Industry and Commerce.

16 Bealtaine, 1967.