To ask the Minister for Defence whether his attention has been drawn to a paragraph which appeared in the Outfitter of November 4th, to the effect that an order had been given to a Leeds firm to manufacture uniforms for the Free State troops; whether there is any truth in that statement, and, if so, why were the uniforms not made in Ireland.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. - NATIONAL ARMY UNIFORM.
I have not seen the paragraph, and there is no truth in the statement that an order has been given to a Leeds firm to manufacture uniforms. The only order for uniforms which went outside Ireland was given to the Briscoe Importing Company, of Dublin, who obtained them from England, because of the necessity for urgent delivery, and who, it is understood, obtained the cloth from the Disposals Board—that is, the British Disposals Board. Everything possible has been done to give this work to firms in Ireland. If there are any such firms capable of a reasonable output who are not making uniforms at present, I shall be pleased to have them given orders at the standard prices.