andMr. McQuillan asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if the new food products processed by the Irish Sugar Company will be available to the Irish people.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Sugar Company's Processed Food Products.
15.
While this is primarily an export project, it has been decided by the Government that up to 10 per cent. of the products in question may be sold on the home market. This restriction does not apply where additional sales in the home market are agreed between the company and Irish manufacturers of products of the same general nature; nor does it apply to materials required for further manufacture here and which are not available otherwise than by importation.
Does the Minister think it right that subsidiaries of foreign-based companies should have the right to prevent foodstuffs produced by Irish farmers from being made available in full quantities to the Irish public?
There is no question of any subsidiary of any company preventing the Sugar Company from making Irish foodstuffs available.
Has the Minister not now disclosed that only 10 per cent. of the food processed by the Sugar Company under the new process will be made available on the Irish market? Is this not as a result of intimidation and the ring imposed on the Minister and his Party by these companies with headquarters outside the State?
The Deputy should know that this is primarily an export project.
Surely a product of the soil of Ireland processed in this country should be made available to the people——
It will be.
The Deputy is not asking a question.
It will not be in present circumstances.
This is said to be a high-quality, low-cost food product. If that is so, why is it not being made available in its entirety to the Irish consumer?
They are not producing on a commercial scale at all yet. Can the Deputy not give it a chance?
Even when they are in production on a commercial scale they will not be allowed to sell more than 10 per cent. on the home market.
Perhaps they will not get a demand to that extent.
Is it not a fact that the reason this new State company is not allowed to sell its total product on the home market is that private enterprise is frightened of State competition——
The Deputy is making an argument; he is not asking a question.
If they cannot compete efficiently, they should be taken over and run by the State.