I move:—
That Dáil Eireann hereby approves of: Control of Imports (Quota No. 13) (Woven Woollen and Synthetic and Artificial Fabrics) (Amendment) Order, 1956.
Control of Imports (Quota No. 13) (Woven Woollen and Synthetic and Artificial Fabrics) (Amendment) Order, 1956, was made on the 17th July, 1956, and must be confirmed before the 17th January, 1957.
Section 4 (2) of the Control of Imports Act, 1934, provides that any Quota Order made under the Act and any Order similarly made amending a Quota Order shall cease to have effect on the expiration of six months from the date on which it was made unless it is approved by each House of the Oireachtas by resolution passed before the expiration of the said six months.
Control of Imports (Quota No. 13) Order, 1935, as amended prohibits the importation of woollen and worsted and certain types of synthetic cloths except under licence. There was an exemption in the Order for cloths containing metallic yarn and importers were taking advantage of the exemption to evade the quota restrictions by importing cloth containing metallic yarn only to an extent necessary to qualify it for exemption.
This practice was having an adverse effect on the sale of woollen and worsted cloths by the Irish mills.
There is a growing fashion trend towards the use of a percentage of metallic yarn (known as "Lurex") in cloth, particularly for the ladies' trade and seven Irish mills, including Gaeltarra Eireann, recently commenced the manufacture of metallic yarn cloth.
It was accordingly decided to remove the exemption for cloths containing metallic yarn, with the exception of lamé cloth, which is a brocaded fabric of a type not made here.
The amendment of the Order was effected by Control of Imports (Quota No. 13) (Woven Woollen and Synthetic and Artificial Fabrics) (Amendment) Order, 1956, made by the Government on the 17th July, 1956, which came into effect on the 24th July, 1956.
I ask the House to approve the Order.