asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if in view of the liberalisation of import controls vis-a-vis the dollar and sterling areas, he will indicate the effect such liberalisation may have on the potentialities of an increase in trade between the United States of America and this country.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Liberalisation of Import Controls.
10.
I do not anticipate that the recent British liberalisation of imports from the dollar areas will have any direct effect on trading between the United States and this country.
Is it not a fact that for any trade we had before in regard to the dollar vis-a-vis sterling we had to go through the British dollar pool? Are we not now in a position to trade direct with the United States? Would the Minister agree that there is considerable room for development?
It will not involve any changes in our trading methods but the prospect is that there might be a reduction in American restrictions on certain goods that could be exported from America to this country. That is a possibility which we hope will materialise.