I move:—
That the Customs Duties (Maize Meal) (Provisional Imposition) Order, 1932, which was made on the 29th day of April, 1932, by the Executive Council under Section 1 of the Customs Duties (Provisional Imposition) Act, 1931 (No. 38 of 1931), and a copy of which was laid on the Table of Dáil Eireann on the 3rd day of May, 1932, be approved.
Some time ago a duty was imposed on maize meal imported into the United Kingdom in consequence of which there was reason to anticipate increased imports of maize meal into this country as well as other undesirable reactions on the industry here. A number of maize mills in certain parts of the Free State which had an export trade to the United Kingdom, averaging over 50,000 cwts. per annum, lost that trade, and in some cases there was reason to anticipate that these mills would go out of business. Under the circumstances, the Executive Council decided to impose a duty on maize meal imported here. The position of the industry is that we have always been able to supply by far the greater part of our requirements from our own mills. Only a very small proportion of them had to be imported. Eleven-twelfths of the requirements of the country were produced at home, and only one-twelfth imported. The existing mills here were and are more than capable of supplying all the requirements of the country. The imposition of the duty has given the industry considerable assistance. It has already resulted in the establishment of a number of new mills in the Saorstát, and has not had any detrimental effects on the farmers who purchase the meal.
In the Dáil last week we had certain allegations made that merchants, particularly in Donegal, had availed of the imposition of the duty for the purpose of charging exorbitant prices. I stated on that occasion that no increase in price on the part of a merchant to a consumer was justified as no increase in wholesale prices had taken place. I have since ascertained that, instead of an increase, the wholesale price of meal in Donegal has been reduced by 5/- per ton. That reduction applies to all mills now operating in Donegal and as, since the imposition of the duty a number of Derry millers have commenced operations in the county, the competition there now is particularly keen. In a few small districts along the Border where the farmers were accustomed to draw their supplies of meal from towns on the Six County side, certain temporary difficulties have been experienced, due in some cases to the absence of merchants selling Saorstát meal, and in other cases to the fact that the Saorstát meal had to be transported a somewhat longer distance. But these difficulties are disappearing now, and will shortly have disappeared altogether.
In one or two areas in the County Monaghan increased prices prevailed for a time. There was no justification for these increases, and when they took place millers from outside the county went in, and competition had the effect of bringing prices down again. Altogether, it can be said that the result of the imposition of the duty has been highly satisfactory. Over a great part of the country which was always supplied from the Saorstát mills the price position is the same. In one part of the country the price has come down. Considerable additional employment is being given, and the danger of an adverse situation arising in connection with the industry has been removed. I confidently recommend the Resolution to the Dáil.