asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state what percentage of agricultural machinery and implements required by farmers in the Irish Free State for the current season can be manufactured in the Irish Free State.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Irish Manufactured Agricultural Implements.
The Saorstát factories are capable of manufacturing all the requirements for the current season in the classes of machinery and implements on which a customs duty has been imposed. As a precaution, however, against any possible shortage of harvesting machinery, power will be taken, when the provisional customs duties which have been imposed come up for confirmation, to admit, on proved necessity and under licence, machinery of that description free of duty for a limited period.
Considering that there is only 33? per cent. of the machinery at present being used of Irish manufacture, has the Minister considered why it is that so small a percentage of machinery of Irish manufacture is in use when it is contended that Irish factories could have supplied the entire demand if called upon to do so?
It was as a result of these considerations that proposals for the protection of the industry were submitted to the Dáil.
What are the considerations?
I do not think we should debate the matter now. It would be much more useful to wait until next week, when a Bill dealing with the subject will be before the Dáil.
In view of the fact that two-thirds of the machinery used has to be imported, will the Minister take steps to see that the position of the agricultural community will not be worsened by the imposition of a tariff on parts of machinery that have to be imported?
Does the Minister consider that merely assembling the parts of machinery constitutes manufacture?
I never said I did.