asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state the average annual cost of importing small-arm ammunition, cartridges, and pellets for defence, sporting, and other purposes; whether the feasibility of manufacturing such ammunition here has been investigated; and the likely number of persons that would be employed if it was so manufactured.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Small-arm Ammunition.
The average value of imports of ammunition and explosives, excluding munitions for defence purposes, for the years 1955-57 inclusive was approximately £230,000.
Various proposals for manufacture of small-arm ammunition here have been received from time to time, but so far none of these has come to fruition. I am not in a position to say how many people would be employed if our requirements of ammunition, etc., were being made here.
Shot-gun cartridges are produced by a firm in Galway.
Would the Minister confirm that there was 75 per cent. duty on cartridges pre-war? The duty was removed during the war and was not reimposed, and as a result there are only about six persons employed in Galway; but if the duty were reimposed, 100 would be employed.
The Deputy must put a question.
I will put it now in the form of a question. If metallic cartridges were manufactured here, would the Minister say approximately how many persons would be employed?
I do not know.
I was told 1,000. Would the Minister look into the matter?
It is difficult to see how 1,000 persons could be employed in producing a commodity, the total import value of which is £230,000.
It was a high personage in the trade who informed me that 1,000 would be employed, if we made our own stuff.
Would the Minister ask the Minister for External Affairs to give him the plans, or make the plans available, for the munition factory that has been in embryo in the Fianna Fáil offices for a long time?
The Deputy had an opportunity of studying them himself at one time.
I did, too, but they are the special pet of the Minister for External Affairs.