asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is aware that several vessels, the property of Irish shipping firms, have been sent abroad for overhaul and repairs, and that these vessels are making their incomes trading in Irish ports; and, if so, if he will state what steps he intends taking to ensure that these firms shall have their ships repaired in Irish dockyards; and, further, if he is aware that continental and American shipowners have to pay a 25 per cent. tariff to their Government if they send their ships to foreign dockyards for overhaul or repairs; and, if so, whether he will introduce proposals for legislation for this purpose.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Ship Repairs.
I understand that two vessels were recently sent abroad for repair. I have no statutory powers to ensure that repairs to Irish ships are carried out in this country. The question of having the maximum volume of work placed with the Irish dockyards was taken up with the shipping companies by my predecessor in office, and, on the whole, satisfactory assurances were received. The Deputy will appreciate that in specific cases it might not be practicable or economic to have the work done locally. As regards the final part of the question, I do not think it would be to the advantage of Irish dockyards if a tariff of the kind suggested were in operation here.
Is the Minister aware that three ships were sent to Germany recently by the Limerick Steamship Company; one ship from the B. & I. went to Britain and the balance of the ships from the B. & I. except one went to Dublin, and that to my mind is as foreign a country as any other. The result has been that instead of having eight and a half months' work provided for the people in that dockyard, the same quantity of work as was provided in 1947 and 1948, the total amount of work provided there in the past 12 months is less than four months' employment for less than half the number of men. If a German ship comes in here and is repaired in an Irish dockyard, that German firm has to pay a fine of I believe 35 per cent. of the value of the vessel when it returns to Germany. The same applies to any American ship coming in here and being repaired here; the same applies to any ship from Denmark. These ships can only have——
The Deputy is making a speech.
——can only have temporary repairs carried out. In view of that does the Minister not consider it absolutely essential to introduce legislation for the purpose of preventing our ships being sent abroad and no ships coming in here? Does he take any thought for the employment of these people?
I do not know whether that is meant to be a supplementary question or a speech. I assume there is a supplementary question in the Deputy's first seven or eight words of his very lengthy speech. I take it that he is advocating special legislation to ensure that no Irish ship would be repaired anywhere but in an Irish dockyard.
Yes, the same rule as other countries have.
Very, very frequently Irish ships meet with damage in foreign ports. If we are to keep the ships moving as rapidly as possible they must be repaired as rapidly as possible in the nearest repairing dockyard. With regard to the two Limerick ships, to which the Deputy referred, there is at the moment no authority to dictate to the Limerick Steamship Company where they will have their repairs done. The important thing as far as Irish ports and the people working on Irish ships are concerned is to keep them busy, to have the ships coming in and going out constantly with a view to keeping Irish labourers in constant employment. It is of immense importance to Irish ships to have them repaired as rapidly as possible, carrying cargoes and employing men. In the port of Emden they work a 24-hour day of three shifts. Supplies are wanted here and we want to keep our ports busy. The ships to which the Deputy referred were sent by the Limerick Steamship Company to the port where they were most rapidly repaired and put into service again.