asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state the reason for the importation of 4,098 tons of refined sugar rather than that of unrefined sugar which would give some extra employment in this country.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Importation of Refined Sugar.
In so far as imports of sugar may be required to supplement home production, the normal practice of Comhlucht Siúicre Éireann Teoranta is to import it raw for refining here. I am advised by the company that the need for importing refined sugar in recent months was due to a delay of about one month, caused by bad weather conditions, in the harvesting and delivery of beet of the 1958 crop and also to the fact that a quantity of 5,000 tons of imported unrefined sugar arrived too late for inclusion in the summer refining campaign.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce why this country's total imports of refined sugar are imported from the Iron Curtain countries of Poland and East Germany.
The position is not as stated in the question. I am informed by Comhlucht Siúicre Éireann, Teoranta, that all the refined sugar (2,500 tons) imported last month, November, 1958, came from Cuba.
Comhlucht Siúicre Éireann, Teoranta, are free to purchase where they wish the sugar necessary to supplement home production. I have no doubt that their purchases are dictated by commercial considerations such as price and availability of supplies.
I am really surprised when the Minister gives me that answer, because I asked a question last week and I was told, by the Taoiseach, that 50,000 cwt. of refined sugar were imported from Poland and 106,000 cwt. from East Germany.
That is not a question.
It shows that the right arm does not know what the left arm is doing.
The Minister says that commercial considerations must be taken into account. Does the Minister mean we are prepared to deal with Iron Curtain countries and take the advantage of sweated labour, if they give a better bargain than the people to whom we sell most of our own goods?
Comhlucht Siúicre, Teoranta, is free to import sugar at its own discretion.