asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he is aware that British manufacturers forwarding their goods to Saorstát markets are specially favoured by cheap through rates while the Saorstát producer or manufacturer forwarding his produce to British markets is penalised with abnormally heavy freights; whether as native development or production under such conditions is utterly impossible he will introduce at an early date legislation protecting Saorstát producers and manufacturers from such penal imposition, and afford them an opportunity of competing on favourable terms in British markets with the producers of other countries.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - THROUGH GOODS RATES.
The question is founded on several misapprehensions. A through rate between Great Britain and the Saorstát applies in both directions, and the assumption that it applies only from Great Britain to the Saorstát is mistaken. Through rates are fixed by making from the sum of the local rates a reduction which, generally speaking, is proportionately the same whether the traffic consists of manufactured goods from Great Britain or agricultural produce from the Saorstát.
Section 29 (2) of the Railways Act, 1924, already gives the Railway Tribunal all the jurisdiction over through rates which it is possible to give it. I am not aware of any means by which further legislation could give the Saorstát control over the rates charged by shipping companies and the British railways.