Skip to main content
Normal View

Dáil Éireann debate -
Friday, 13 Jul 1923

Vol. 4 No. 9

CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. [ ORAL ANSWERS. ] - GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state the money value in percentage of all contracts placed by the Government Contracts Committee since the 1st March, 1923—(a) within Saorstát Eireann; (b) without Saorstát Eireann; further, if the Minister will state whether there be any foundation for the rumour circulated by a letter in the Press that on order for 40,000 suits of clothing was being placed by the Government Purchasing Department outside Saorstát Eireann.

The contracts placed in the Saorstát for the period from the 1st March, 1923, to the 30th June, 1923, are of the total money value of 93 per cent. within the Saorstát and 7 per cent. without the Saorstát. With regard to the rumour to which the Deputy alludes, I am not aware that there is any foundation for the rumour mentioned. Perhaps, for the Deputy's fuller information, I may add that the returns from the 1st to 25th March are, for Saorstát goods, 85 per cent. of the total money value. From the 25th March to 31st May the Saorstát goods were 94.6 per cent. total money value. That is to say, that percentage of the goods were of Saorstát origin. From the 1st June to 30th June the total money value of the goods of Saorstát origin was 99.36 per cent. With regard to the rumour which appeared in the Press, I should like to add that, so far from the rumour having any foundation in fact, the fact is that tenders have been invited for 20,000 suits of clothing from manufacturers within the Saorstát, and those tenders are under consideration. That will show the Deputy how little he may be disturbed by rumours appearing in the Press.

Will the Minister supplement that information by saying in regard to clothes, for instance, that the tenders that have been invited for clothes to be manufactured in the Saorstát will include that the cloth is also to be manufactured in the Saorstát; and when he speaks of Saorstát origin of contracts placed within the Saorstát, does that mean for goods mainly manufactured, or that a definite percentage of the final value has been created in the Saorstát?

Speaking of the 20,000 suits, I mean that the cloth of which the suits will be made will be of Saorstát origin, will be manufactured in the Saorstát. In every case, when I speak of goods of Saorstát origin, I mean that as far as possible these goods have been made from raw material produced within the Saorstát.

Top
Share