Deputy Whelehan desires to answer a question to-day, to which an answer was promised some days ago. Perhaps, the Minister will read the question as well as the answer.
[ WRITTEN ANSWERS. ] - MILITARY CLOTHING CONTRACT.
Deputy Alfred Byrne asked a question in reference to the placing of an Order for 50,000 yards of green serge outside the Saorstát, and as to the reason why the order was so placed.
The Deputy is correct in assuming that the order for 50,000 yards of green serge was placed outside the Saorstát, but to explain why the order was so placed might not be to the advantage of Irish competitors with the firm that received that order. It is well, however, that it should be understood that the order for 50,000 yards of green serge was only portion of orders placed for 125,000 yards, the balance 75,000 yards being taken from firms within the Saorstát. To fully understand this matter I should also add for the information of the Deputy and for the association on whose behalf, I assume, he put the question, that about the same period the following orders had been placed for different types of material—27,000 yards of uniform cloth, 107,000 yards of drill drab cloth, 77,000 yards of lining material, 33,000 yards of tweed lining, 63,000 yards of uniform cloth, 20,000 yards of sleeve lining, and 50,000 yards cotton twill. All these totals were sub-divided and distributed between different firms in the Saorstát.
Will the Minister say whether the firms that failed to receive orders had an equal opportunity with those who succeeded in receiving orders in competing for the balance which went eventually across the water?
Equal opportunities were available to all firms, and the order was not placed outside the Saorstát until certain firms had been consulted first.
Can the Minister say whether it was a question of prices, or a question of supplies?
I have already said that I do not think a statement of the reason why would be beneficial to certain other firms on whose behalf I assume Deputy Byrne put the question.
While the interests of these firms ought necessarily to be considered, the interest of the people working for these firms and of the general public ought to be considered also. I do not think it is quite fair, even to these firms, to avoid telling the public what is the reason why they failed to receive the order.
If the public, through the Dáil, will insist on knowing the reason why, then the public must have the reason why, and the question was a question of prices.
Perhaps the Deputy will put down a separate question bearing upon the matter of the reasons.