I move:—
That Dáil Eireann hereby approves of the Control of Imports (Quota No. 13) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order, 1940.
Control of Imports (Quota Order)—Motion of Approval.
What does this relate to?
An order was made by the Government on 29th October, 1940, to amend the Control of Imports (Quota No. 13) Order, 1935. Prior to the making of this amendment, the importation of woollen and worsted piece goods was restricted to cloths which were more than 12 inches in width, more than seven ounces in weight per square yard and more than 3/6 in value per square yard. The effect of the amendment which it is now sought to confirm was to extend the existing restrictions to cloths which were more than 3/- per square yard in value. When the original amending order was made, it was anticipated that, due to the trend of prices in Great Britain, it would be necessary to grant some relaxation of the existing quota, but, in practice, it has been found that the 3/6 extension then granted has been more than was necessary, and, in fact, more than was advisable, and, following a consultation between all the interests concerned, it has been decided to reduce the exemption from 3/6 to 3/- per square yard.
"All the interests concerned"—was the consumer consulted?
The consumer in the shape not merely of the manufacturer of woollen cloths in this country, but of those who use them in the process of manufacture. I can assure the Deputy that my Department is very zealous in looking after the interests of the consumer.
Is the Minister in a position to assure us that the readymade manufacturers are now able to get a sufficiency of these cloths to keep their operatives at work, because my latest information—and I am bound to tell the House that it is not very recent information—is that very grave difficulties presented themselves in the ready-made clothing industry and in the making-up industry generally, because they could not get from the Irish mills the cloths necessary to work upon? They attributed the scarcity of supply in their trade, partially to this order, partially to the absorption of the Irish mills in the manufacture of Army clothing and partially to the destruction of the Athlone woollen mills. If that is true, I think the Minister ought to reconsider this situation because, God knows, there are enough people out of jobs at present without putting more out by an imprudently drawn quota order.
There may have been some substance in what the Deputy says about 1st November last, or thereabouts, but, since then the position has considerably eased, and in order to satisfy everybody so far as we can, an additional quota has been made by agreement under which additional imports of cloth will be permitted, which will, I think, cover all requirements.
Question put and agreed to.