asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if any steps are taken by his Department to ensure that contractors shall employ Irish labour where suitable and available, and, if so, if he is aware that the internal plastering of the walls of the turbine house extension at the Shannon Scheme works, Ardnacrusha, has been carried out by German labour, to the detriment of Irish nationals, and whether steps will be taken to see that the external plastering of the turbine house extension at Ardnacrusha will be done by Irish plasterers, 25 of whom are unemployed in Limerick City.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Employment of German Plasterers.
On the 10th June last, 17 plasterers were registered as unemployed at the Employment Exchange, Limerick, of whom four were apprentices and five resident outside Limerick. Under the Aliens Order, 1925, leave shall not be given to an alien desirous of entering the service of an employer in Saorstát Eireann to land in this country unless he produces a permit in writing issued to his employer by my Department. Such permit is not given if suitable Irish labour is available for the work.
Highly specialised men with previous experience of the particular type of the re-enforcing and of the concrete and plaster work involved in the erection of the new turbine extension were essential, and I am satisfied that Irish labour of the kind required was not available. I shall also satisfy myself that Irish labour of the kind is not available before any permit is given for the external plastering work.
Arising out of the Minister's reply, may I take it that the internal plastering of the walls of the turbine house extension mentioned in my question is of so highly specialised a character as to call for the importation of plasterers as has happened in the case of Ardnacrusha?
Yes.