asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he is aware that there is grave unemployment amongst persons engaged in the manufacture of rubber-proofed garments and that 57 workers in Glanmire factory are now employed only one to two days per week; whether his Department has allowed 6,000 rubber-proofed garments to be imported and whether, in view of the fact that the Irish factories are fully competent to manufacture such garments as cheaply as those imported, he will prohibit further import of this type of article.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Imports of Rubber-proofed Garments.
I am aware from a very recent notification sent to my Department by the factory referred to that the employment position there is as indicated in the question. I am not aware of any other instances of unemployment in factories engaged in the manufacture of rubber-proofed garments. The import quota of 6,000 rubber-proofed garments for the current six-monthly period was fixed after full consideration of consumers' requirements and the manufacturing capacity of the Irish factories. This quota represents such a very small percentage of the total needs of the home market that I find it difficult to see how the unemployment at Glanmire can be attributed to imports of rubber-proofed garments.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary consider that even if this order for 6,000 rubber-proofed garments were given to Glanmire factory, it would take some of the 57 people who are idle there now, off the streets?
Even if the import of these 6,000 garments were not permitted, there is no guarantee that the work would be carried on at Glanmire.
It would be kept in Ireland anyway. There is no justification for importing these garments.