I move:—
That Dáil Eireann hereby approves of Control of Imports (Quotas Nos. 1 to 32) (Amendment) Order, 1939.
Control of Imports (Quotas Nos. 1 to 32) (Amendment) Order, 1939—Motion.
This motion is to confirm an order made by the Government in December last. The purpose of it is to exempt from import prohibition effected by quota orders made prior to the passing of the Control of Imports (Amendment) Act, 1937, small parcels to which it was never intended these quota restrictions would apply. Among the articles which will be exempted under the order are articles coming in as samples, stage clothes and properties, scientific medical and surgical articles, upholstering, blanketing and felt, as well as articles coming in for further manufacture and exportation, together with articles coming in for competitions, exhibitions and so on, articles temporarily imported and articles coming in as part of passengers' luggage.
Would the Minister say whether the rise from 2/- to 3/6 is a reflection of the cost of living or the cost of materials? If not, what is the intention in raising the figure?
It is not a reflection of the cost of living, but it is a reflection of the increase in price which has taken place in the case of goods manufactured outside this State.
And nothing but that?
Nothing but that.
Would the Minister say whether, in fact, that is the only explanation for this quota order? Information has reached me that it is extremely difficult for certain people to obtain cloth suitable for manufacture into uniforms within this country.
And outside it.
The fact that the British have pretty well cornered the entire woollen worsted market has resulted in this country getting only an extremely small quota of that type of material which formerly came in here. The Minister might well, on an occasion like this, pick the opportunity to tell us what the general position is in the woollen and woollen worsted trades. I understand that the spinning capacity of the mills here is extremely limited and that so far as the mills are concerned, they are disinclined to spin anything but an expensive grade of cloth for the purpose of satisfying the higher branches of the clothing trade, that in respect of cloth of a cheaper quality and lower price, the mills are showing no disposition to engage in the spinning of it and that, in fact, tenders which have been invited, even by State Departments, for the supply of cloth have received a very poor response from Irish mills. All the information that I have on the subject, and the Minister has possibly similar information, leads me to believe that a very serious position has developed in connection with the availability of woollen materials, and the position in respect of woollen worsted cloth is much more difficult, and tends to become even more so.
Would the Minister take the opportunity now to tell the House what the position is? Is there, in fact, a scarcity of woollen materials and is there a scarcity of woollen worsted materials? What steps are being taken to overcome the shortage which it is alleged exists at the moment, and what is the position generally in respect of the availability of articles of that type during the remainder of the year? This quota order extends the scope of the stuff which may be imported, but is that due, as the Minister has said, entirely to the fact that prices outside have risen, or to a desire to make available here cloth which apparently cannot be got otherwise, and what generally are the Minister's intentions in respect of these two important items of domestic requirement?
The position is that this order was originally framed to meet the conditions as they existed in December, 1939. Recently, I understand, there has been a growing restriction of supply, and nothing we can do under the quota order will make it any easier for our people to get supplies from Great Britain when these are not in fact available from that country. I am aware of the difficulty the Deputy has mentioned in relation to cloth for Army uniforms. It is not easy to get it in Great Britain and it is not easy to get it here. It is not easy to get it here because the supply of raw materials is not available, so that even if we were to remove the quota restrictions altogether, I have no reason to believe that the position in relation to the supply of cloth would become any easier.
Could the Minister say whether it is intended to restrict in any way the export of wool during the present season?
That is a question which should be put to the Minister for Agriculture.
The Minister referred to passengers' luggage. I take it that that will, of necessity, have to be an elastic term?
The Deputy is following my bad example.
The Deputy has reverted to item No. 2.
I thought we were allowed to ask questions on both.
Question put and agreed to.