asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether, in order to allow the Irish public an opportunity of discriminating between home and imported printing and manufactured stationery, he will introduce legislation making it compulsory for all printed matter and manufactured stationery, whether produced in Ireland or abroad, to bear the imprint of the printer, binder, bag-maker, or box-maker, and if he is aware that much foreign printing and stationery is being bought in the Saorstát in ignorance of its origin.
CEISTEANNA.—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - IMPRINT ON PRINTED MATTER AND STATIONERY.
Legislation on the subject of Merchandise Marks generally, designed to facilitate discrimination between home-manufactured goods and imported articles is under consideration, but the practical application of this principle is a matter of considerable complexity. I do not see my way at present to recommend piecemeal legislation applied to a particular commodity or class of commodities.
Though not disputing the suggestion contained in the last part of the question, I have no evidence in support of it.
Mr. BYRNE
Will the Minister give this matter his consideration when the Merchandise Marks Act is again being considered?
The legislation is being considered simply because the improvement would be designed to facilitate the discrimination that the Deputy desires.
Mr. BYRNE
Is the Minister aware that if the suggestion was carried out it would result in the giving of very necessary employment to many hundreds now idle in the Saorstát?
Only to the extent to which the foreign printing and stationery is being brought in in ignorance of its origin. Any amendment of the Merchandise Marks Act would not prevent printing and stationery being brought in by people who recognise its origin and still insist on bringing it in. The amount of employment resulting from any amendment of the Act would depend on the amount of printing brought in in this way, and how far firms bringing it in are in ignorance of its origin.