Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 21 Jan 1959

Vol. 172 No. 7

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Imports of Footwear.

1.

Mr. Larkin

asked the Taoiseach if he will state the quantity and value of imports of footwear in the years 1955 to 1957, and up to the latest available date in 1958, and the countries of origin of such imports.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Taoiseach (Donnchadh Ó Briain)

I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to circulate in the Official Report a statement showing the quantity and value of imports of footwear, according to Official Import List descriptions, in each of the years 1955, 1956 and 1957 and in the period 1st January to 30th November, 1958, and distinguishing countries of origin.

Following is the statement:—

IMPORTS OF FOOTWEAR IN EACH YEAR 1955, 1956 AND 1957 AND IN JANUARY-NOVEMBER, 1958.

Description and Country of Origin	Quantity	Value
1955	1956	1957	Jan.-Nov. 1958	1955	1956	1957	Jan.-Nov. 1958
	doz.prs.	doz.prs.	doz.prs.	doz.prs.	£	£	£	£
Slippers and house-shoes of all materials (except rubber):
Great Britain	46	14	6	15	407	222	92	197
Re-Imports	—	4	—	—	—	50	—	—
Italy	—	50	119	35	—	858	2,064	30
Japan	—	—	—	—	2	—	—	—
TOTAL	46	68	125	50	409	1,130	2,156	227
Footwear wholly or mainly of leather or skin in the upper, n.e.s., new:
Boots:
Great Britain	60	92	286	552	1,885	2,701	6,002	13,523
The Six Counties	25	23	9	2	713	677	271	72
Re-Imports	3	2	208	95	44	36	4,419	2,097
Germany (Federal Republic)	—	1	1	12	—	51	37	441
Netherlands	4	—	—	—	43	—	—	—
Canada	—	—	—	21	—	—	6	557
TOTAL	92	118	504	682	2,685	3,465	10,735	16,690
Shoes, etc.:
Men's:
Great Britain	349	689	1,020	1,559	9,417	17,786	24,890	39,577
The Six Counties	—	1	—	—	—	16	—	—
Re-Imports	—	8	80	20	—	102	1,690	390
Germany (Federal Republic)	—	—	24	36	—	—	648	807
France	—	—	—	12	—	—	—	205
Switzerland	—	—	—	9	16	—	—	329
Italy	—	42	116	199	—	1,341	3,114	5,561
United States of America	—	—	1	—	—	—	16	—
TOTAL	349	740	1,241	1,835	9,433	19,245	30,358	46,869
Women's:
Light:
Great Britain	1,055	1,676	1,952	2,263	29,331	50,117	59,339	65,486
Re-Imports	94	16	560	63	823	188	8,335	954
France	—	—	6	22	—	—	225	803
Sweden	9	—	—	—	207	—	—	—
Switzerland	100	200	221	374	5,139	7,465	8,843	15,707
Italy	69	92	291	1,096	2,466	2,587	10,849	32,711
Union of South Africa	—	52	77	46	—	1,121	1,864	1,183
United States of America	2	—	—	1	28	—	—	15
TOTAL	1,329	2,036	3,107	3,865	37,994	61,478	89,455	116,859
Heavy:
Great Britain	3	10	136	168	76	298	2,233	2,874
Re-Imports	—	—	13	6	—	—	149	124
France	7	—	—	—	115	—	—	—
TOTAL	10	10	149	174	191	298	2,382	2,998
Other:
Great Britain	114	138	65	124	911	1,251	851	988
Re-Imports	41	63	16	33	437	417	350	636
Germany (Federal Republic)	—	—	14	23	—	—	113	364
Italy	—	—	27	—	—	—	420	—
India	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	13
United States of America	—	—	1	—	—	—	12	—
TOTAL	155	201	123	180	1,348	1,668	1,746	2,001
Footwear wholly or mainly of textile materials:
With soles and heels of rubber:
Great Britain	123	23	90	45	881	270	893	796
Germany (Federal Republic)	—	183	—	—	—	1,609	—	—
Hong Kong	—	—	22	800	—	—	107	2,276
TOTAL	123	206	112	845	881	1,879	1,000	3,072
Other:
Great Britain	815	1,075	1,388	1,262	1,228	2,625	2,948	2,032
The Six Counties	—	—	—	5	—	—	—	61
Belgium	17	—	—	—	59	—	—	—
France	—	—	78	52	—	—	235	156
Netherlands	—	5	—	—	—	23	—	—
Italy	—	—	73	55	—	16	405	79
Spain	—	75	—	—	—	238	—	—
TOTAL	832	1,155	1,539	1,374	1,287	2,902	3,588	2,328
Rubber and rubber proofed footwear, new:
Boots:
Great Britain	2,803	2,632	3,574	3,456	33,856	35,268	45,334	46,300
The Six Counties	—	—	1	—	—	—	20	—
Germany (Federal Republic)	—	—	187	83	—	—	1,498	838
Netherlands	377	163	102	161	3,809	1,796	1,189	1,874
Czechoslovakia	755	709	594	498	7,318	6,898	5,224	4,519
Finland	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	2
Hong Kong	100	113	—	175	730	767	—	912
Japan	—	—	62	—	—	—	378	—
Shoes, etc.:
Great Britain	438	181	200	278	4,037	2,110	2,616	3,620
Sweden	17	—	—	—	88	—	—	—
Switzerland	—	2	—	—	—	69	—	—
TOTAL	455	183	200	278	4,125	2,179	2,616	3,629
Plastic footwear:
Great Britain	4,164	6,320	3,969	3,030	14,966	22,810	13,098	10,603
Re-Imports	—	—	—	31	—	—	—	621
Germany (Federal Republic)	—	—	2	—	—	—	35	—
TOTAL	4,164	6,320	3,971	3,061	14,966	22,810	13,133	11,284
Footwear, n.e.s. new:
Great Britain	53	331	206	151	558	775	1,450	1,237
Re-Imports	—	—	—	23	—	—	—	855
Belgium	—	17	17	34	—	60	61	118
Germany (Federal Republic)	—	—	3	—	—	—	97	—
Austria	—	—	—	—	—	1	—	—
France	8	86	16	—	33	224	54	—
Netherlands	—	—	—	—	1	—	—	—
Italy	—	8	41	17	—	126	605	279
TOTAL	61	442	283	225	592	1,186	2,267	1,989
Secondhand footwear:
Great Britain	2	3	1	—	12	14	2	—
Re-Imports	1	—	1	—	17	—	13	—
United States of America	—	—	—	50	—	1	—	343
TOTAL	3	3	2	50	29	15	15	343