asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he is aware that allegations have been made by woollen mill workers that the existing quota arrangements relating to the importation of woollen cloth are being evaded and that cloth has been imported outside the descriptions authorised in the permit; and whether he will consider making regulations requiring proprietors of ready-made clothing factories to whom permits to import foreign cloth are granted to use a specified percentage of Irish-made materials.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Woollen Cloth Imports.
I am not aware that the quota restrictions in respect of certain woollen cloths are being evaded. If specific instances of any such evasion are brought to my notice, I will have them investigated. As regards the second part of the question, the object which the Deputy has in mind has already been largely achieved by a serious restriction of imports of foreign cloth.
Arising out of that reply, I would like if the Minister would say that he is prepared to insist that these importers of foreign-made cloth, or the firms who use it in their factories, will be compelled to use a certain percentage of Irish-manufactured cloth. The Minister is aware, I take it, that in the flour milling industry flour millers are compelled to use a certain percentage of home-grown wheat. Then why not compel those people who manufacture ready-made clothing to use a certain proportion of home-manufactured cloths?
The Deputy should understand that there are many different classes of cloth used in these factories and that some of these cloths are not made here. Many ready-made clothing factories may not use woollens or worsteds at all of the type that is the subject of these orders. There is another type of cloth of which large quantities are allowed to be imported because such cloths are not made here. It would be quite impracticable for us to interfere in some of these cases. We have, in fact, interfered seriously in the matter of cloth manufacture by Irish millers and that interference did, as a matter of fact, bring new orders to the Irish manufacturers; the information we have got indicates that the Irish millers have got new orders.
Will the Minister insist that where Irish cloths are available and can be readily supplied to the ready-made clothing manufacturer no imports of a similar type of cloth will be allowed?
That is what I am trying to do.
Is the Minister prepared to insist on that in the future?
That is what we are trying to do, but the Deputy will appreciate the difficulty of the Department in dealing with these matters. The nearest approach we can make to that type of legislation is to limit the import licences to certain cloths.
I am sure that the Minister is aware at the present time it is calculated that 60 per cent. of the cloth used in this country by ready-made manufacturers and others is being imported and only 40 per cent. of Irish-manufactured cloths used. I am sure the Minister will agree that in this respect there is room for curtailing imports. I understand that there is a case being made now by British manufacturers to capture some of the 40 per cent. of the trade that is given to the Irish mills. Will the Minister see that instead of any portion of that 40 per cent. being captured by the British manufacturers he will see that an opportunity is given that some of the 60 per cent. of the trade now captured by foreign manufacturers will be captured by the Irish mills?
That is what we are doing.