Having reviewed certain aspects of the industrial situation, we were discussing the disclosed dissatisfaction with industrial development in this country expressed by the President. The information that we have before us shows that, so far from marking any definite satisfactory increase in employment, or any definite establishment of sound new industrial development in the country, the statements made from time to time by the Minister for Industry and Commerce have been more or less like the whistling of a person passing a churchyard. In the statement made by him in connection with the discussions on the Budget, he told us there had been more industrial, national and economical development during the previous 12 months than there had been for the 50 years before that. I have pointed out that, having either suppressed or deliberately decided not to collect information with regard to employment in these industries tariffed during the previous administration, and having published figures then for the 1st March last, these figures disclosed that there has been an addition to employment of 1,600 persons in the aggregate of these industries over a period of 18 months.
I pointed out that in six months in 1929 there were 2,400 additional persons employed. But going back for five years to the middle of 1925 and taking from the middle of 1925 on to the last date for which figures were available, 1st September, 1931, we see there has been yearly during that period an increase in employment in these industries that are referred to of 2,000 persons. We have seen that while elaborate statements have been made as to the additions made in the confectionery industry, where employment was stated to have been doubled and output more than doubled, we are left with a position in which there has been added to an industry that gave employment to more than 5,000 people, simply 150 persons. Generally the Minister's statements have been utterly unfounded and we must only take it that he was aware when he was making these statements of the position that the figures now disclose.
The President stated in Kilkenny that he is not satisfied with the way in which things are going and the alternative now promised to us is that local authorities must take some steps to see that industries are developed in their areas. I have asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he, following the failure of the Minister for Local Government to do so, will tell us what urban or other local authorities can do to see that industries are established in their areas. There is one thing more than another that is, to my mind, shaking the confidence of the people who would invest in some of the smaller industries. I quite agree that another thing that is probably arresting development here is all the big talk about big money that we are hearing at the present moment in connection with the Industrial Credit Bill; all the talk about the development of large industries in this country. That is to some extent arresting investment by Irish people in the smaller industries here. I do not say that it will induce them, when they come to think over it, to invest in these big industries, because a lot more will have to be considered about these things before the company which is being talked about this morning will get to work.
Ministers have, through their Press, been pointing out how other countries do things. We are told in their Press that every new acre of wheat that was grown in Italy was propaganded to the people throughout the whole of Italy. But as regards every new industry that is set up here, not only is it not propaganded, but, if we ask for particulars as to how industrial development is going, we are refused any information good, bad or indifferent about it. I was induced, in the beginning of this year, to ask certain questions with regard to the development of industry. I thought to find out something about the furniture industry. I was told seven additional furniture factories have been erected in Dublin City, but I was not given any more information. The same way with the upholstery industry—I was told there was one factory in Navan and three additional factories in Dublin. That was at the end of March last, but then information began to dry up and in April I was not offered any information in regard to several other industries.
I would not be told, for instance, where the two new coach-building factories mentioned by the Minister for Industry and Commerce as having been opened were located; I would not be told where the 42 new packing factories stated by him to have been opened since March were erected; I would not be told where the two new factories for galvanised hollow-ware were located; where the new factory for gutters and rain-water pipes was situated; where was the location of the new glass bottle factory; where were the four new confectioneries which he stated on the 13th January had been opened since March, 1932; where were the two new factories for brushes and brooms situated; the location of the two new bakeries; where was the new factory for egg cases and fillers; the two new factories for medical and veterinary preparations; the two new factories for baking powder; the two new maize-meal factories; the new bacon-curing factory; the new factory for metallic badges, medals, etc.; the new sheet metal works; the location of the new factory for concrete sanitary pipes; the location of the new cord and twins factory; the new factory for hay rakes; the location of the new factory for paints; the new factory for plaster slabs; the two new factories for spades and shovels; the location of each of the four new paper bags and printing works; the location of the new factory for barbed-wire; the three new factories for cycle assembly; the location of each of the two new sawmills; the location of the new factory for mastic ashphalt and the new factory for chassis assembly.
Not only could I not be told to whom these belong, what money was in them, and what employment was given in them, but I would not be told where they were, for the reason given by the Minister for Industry and Commerce that it was undesirable to do so in the interests of the people connected with these factories, and having regard to the interests of persons concerned with other factories of the same kind. There is a discrimination apparently on the part of the Minister, because when a new sausage factory was being set up—I admit it was a factory for the manufacture of Viennese sausages—a month previously, the Minister for Industry and Commerce was prepared to tell the whole world about it, by photograph, by speech, by going down to Naas with the nearest thing to a tall hat that he had, and, with great State ceremony, starting the factory and telling the whole world about it. While this House cannot be told even where the new factories for the manufacture of spades and shovels are, where the new factories for the manufacture of hay rakes are, not to speak about who it is that is running them and how many persons are employed, we are told in the Irish Press of February 17th, that there is a great new Viennese sausage factory being established at Naas. We are told what its production is going to be, ten tons of sausages every week. We got a detailed description of them. There are to be fifty different varieties of sausages. We are told with regard to their great export market, an export trade is to be opened up with France, Germany, Switzerland and Belgium. We are told what the prospects are of establishing additional industries around that sausage factory. We are told that there is going to be a development of that sausage factory; that there is going to be a tanning factory developed from it. A tanning factory is going to be one of the by-products of the new sausage factory that is being set up in Naas. We are told the amount of employment that is going to be given there. Thirty local men will be employed. We are told whom it belongs to. We are told the reasons why the Minister gives all this great publicity to this new factory, a publicity that is completely denied in every detail—in so far as information asked for in this House may be regarded as publicity—when it is a question of spades and shovels, or when it is a question of hay rakes. We are told that the reason why the Minister puts on the next thing he has to a tall hat, and goes down and spends part of the day at Naas, and makes speeches and gets photographs taken, is because of the enterprise of the people who started that factory; secondly, because it will relieve unemployment in Naas by employing, as we are told, thirty local men; and thirdly, because his friend and colleague, Mr. Briscoe, was associated with it. We have had recently to complain that we are denied information as to who are the people connected, say, with the new furniture industries here. We are told that all that is to be examined by the Minister under the Control of Manufactures Act. We are told that informing us as to where the new hay rakes are manufactured would interfere with the interests of the people in this country who are already manufacturing hay rakes. On the other hand, we are told all about this factory. Deputy Briscoe is associated with it, Mr. A. Caplan, and two Mr. Witstuns. The Supervisor in the factory is Franz Vogel.
