asked the Minister for Lands if he will state the reason why weavers employed by private enterprise in County Donegal are working overtime while weavers employed by Gaeltarra Éireann are being paid off and rendered unemployed.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Weaving Industry.
The position in Gaeltarra Éireann is that, following a very active year's operations, a period of slackness arose pending the receipt of orders on new designs which have been sampled to old and prospective customers. Orders are now being received and normal employment will be resumed with as little delay as possible.
asked the Minister for Lands whether he is aware that all outdoor weavers employed by Gaeltarra Éireann in the Ardara district have recently been paid off; and, if so, if he will take immediate steps to provide fresh employment for these workers at their trade.
Mr. Lynch
The Deputy's information is not quite correct. The amount of work recently available for outdoor weavers of Gaeltarra Éireann has declined owing to seasonal slackness in the trade and current demand for intricate cloth-designs for which home looms are unsuitable. I am hopeful that this position will not be unduly prolonged. Meanwhile, everything possible will be done to provide maximum employment for the weavers.
Is the Minister aware that a private firm operating in the same district has all its outdoor weavers continuously employed? I do not wish to refer publicly to the firm but I will give the Parliamentary Secretary the name.
Mr. Lynch
I think the Deputy will appreciate that during 1951 Gaeltarra Éireann kept their weavers working at a capacity which other industries were unable to equal. In the meantime, there has been a filling-up of orders and a little interim period which it is hoped will soon pass. As well as that, some of the orders which Gaeltarra Éireann had to fulfil had to be completed by the end of 1951 with the result that there was no chance of a carry-over in order to fill this period which is normally a slack period.