asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will take steps to protect the making of Aran belts or crisses and Aran pullovers and to prevent spurious imitations being manufactured in Dublin by foreigners.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Manufacture of Aran Belts and Pullovers.
There is no power under existing legislation to confine the making of belts and pullovers in the Aran design to any particular part of the country and it would not be practicable to legislate to that effect.
Am I to take it that the Minister has no intention of trying to safeguard these little industries with a view to helping to stop further emigration from these areas?
If the Deputy has any suggestion as to the practical steps that can be taken, I should be glad to receive them.
I am on the wrong side of the House to take steps. If I were over there, I would take steps.
The Deputy can make suggestions from any side of the House.
He was over here for too long.
There are certain cottage industries in this country, notably those in Aran, which produce a perfectly distinctive commodity. Can the Minister suggest no device that could be employed to protect them as we would protect Waterford glass, for instance, if somebody set up an inferior imitation and sought to sell it as the original?
A false trade description could be dealt with but I cannot see how it is practicable to legislate to confine a particular design to any individual locality.
I do not think that is the point. The problem here is that you have a commodity, like the criss, which is not only characteristic of the island but also has a characteristic design. The individual cottage producers simply do not know how to set in motion the appropriate procedure for charging somebody with a false trade description. An industrial concern, whose product is well known——
The Deputy is making a speech.
I am putting this case to the Minister. I am asking the Minister does he not agree that, in the case of a cottage industry which is of its nature unequipped to defend itself under the law, there is a case for the Minister for Industry and Commerce taking initiative where, naturally, he would not take initiative if the offended person had his right at law which was perfectly easily enforceable?
I cannot think of any practical step which could be taken to confine a design to producers in one part of the country. If the Deputy can suggest practical steps, I shall consider them.