asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether, with a view to creating more employment in the Saorstát, he will issue an order to Municipal and other Public Bodies authorised to place contracts requiring that the lowest suitable Irish tender shall in all cases be accepted in preference to the lowest foreign tender, provided that such Irish tender is not more than ten per cent. higher than the foreign one, and that in cases where the Irish tender exceeds ten per cent., the foreign tender shall not be accepted until after reconsideration by the Irish contractor of the possibility of his reducing his tender to ten per cent. over the foreign one; if he is aware that the cost-of-living figure, taxation, and the rate of exchange between this country and Germany, France and other countries are in favour of the foreigner and help him to secure Irish contracts to the detriment of Irish labour and Irish contractors subject to Saorstát taxation.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - ACCEPTANCE OF IRISH IN PREFERENCE TO FOREIGN TENDERS.
Any such order would be ultra vires. While I have every sympathy with any tenable proposition which would enlarge the facilities for employment, the proposals referred to in the question affect general trade policy, and, if acceptable, would require legislation.
Mr. BYRNE
I would like to ask whether the Minister read the speech made last July by the President when he stated that Irish manufactures should get preference, and that any drawbacks or disabilities should be borne by the public. I would ask him whether that should not also apply to the Government.
I hope the Deputy does that.
Mr. BYRNE
I always try to.
But do you succeed?
Mr. BYRNE
Yes, always.
I think I could put a case to the Deputy in which as a matter of fact he has not succeeded in doing it.
Mr. BYRNE
I would be glad to hear of it.
In actual practice we give effect to the point of view expressed by Deputy Byrne, but we have got no actual authority to enforce that.
Mr. BYRNE
Has the Minister given any consideration to the difficulties created by the rates of exchange under which Irish contractors have to tender against German and French contractors and where you have the rates of exchange giving an advantage to the foreign contractor?
Is that not material for another question?
Mr. BYRNE
The matter is in the question that I put, and I appeal to the Ceann Comhairle to say whether I am not in order in putting the question. It is in the question, and has not been answered, and in addition there was a month's notice given of it.
We have had that under consideration, but, as I told the Deputy, any such order would be ultra vires.
Mr. BYRNE
In other words, you will not take into consideration the rates of exchange in this country which give a preference to the foreigner?
It has been taken into consideration.