asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state the total number of persons employed in the manufacture of (1) boots and shoes; (2) blankets, blanketing and rugs (other than floor rugs); (3) oat meal; (4) margarine; (5) woollens; (5) down quilts and quilt covers on the 1st September, 1934; and the number of separate businesses in each group in respect of which this enumeration of employment is made.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Employment in Specified Industries.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state the total number of persons employed in the manufacture of (1) soap and candles; (2) sugar confectionery (including jam); (3) brush making; (4) furniture, on the 1st September, 1934; and the number of separate businesses in each group in respect of which this enumeration of employment is made.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state the total number of persons employed in the manufacture of (1) glass bottles; (2) metallic bedsteads; (3) rosary beads, on the 1st September, 1934; and the number of separate businesses in each group in respect of which this enumeration of employment is made.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state the total number of persons employed in the manufacture of (1) shirts and collars; (2) hosiery and knitted goods; (3) wholesale clothing (namely, men's and boys' factory-made clothing), hats, caps, ties and umbrellas; (4) handicraft tailoring, dressmaking, millinery, corsets, etc., on the 1st September, 1934; and the number of separate businesses in each group in respect of which this enumeration of employment is made.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state the total number of persons employed in the manufacture of tobacco on the 1st September, 1934; and the number of separate businesses in respect of which this enumeration of employment is made.
I will answer the five questions together. Complete information as to the employment on the 1st September, 1934, in the industries mentioned is not yet available except in respect of the following:—
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(a) Margarine, 158; |
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(b) Down quilts and quilt covers, 81; |
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(c) Glass bottles, |
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(d) Metallic bedsteds, and |
433. |
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(e) Rosary beads, |
The number of separate businesses in each of these groups in respect of which returns have been made is:—
(a) 3,
(b) 4,
(c) 1,
(d) 2,
(e) 2.
Will the Minister say why, if it is possible to enumerate the different industries under the heading of glass bottles, metallic bedsteads and rosary beads, it is necessary to add the employees of all these industries together? Why cannot we have the number of employees making glass bottles separate from the number of employees making metallic bedsteads and rosary beads?
It is not the practice to give the figures in relation to any industry where only one or two firms are concerned.
Will the Minister say since when that rule was introduced? Is the Minister not aware that separate figures were published previously? Will the Minister also say why it takes so long to get information under these headings?
I believe it has been always the practice to withhold information which could be availed of to ascertain the position of a particular firm. With regard to the second part of the Deputy's question, as to why it takes so long to get this information, I am afraid I cannot give him any satisfactory reply. The firms from whom the returns were asked have been unduly dilatory in giving the information.