asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether his attention has been drawn to an advertisement by the Industrial Development Authority appearing in the American magazine Fortune in October 1961 stating that nobody skims the cream off profits in Ireland and containing other textual matter; whether he considers that the general tone of this advertisement, with its implication that cheap and docile labour is freely available in Ireland, is desirable; and whether a version of this advertisement has appeared in German publications.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Industrial Development Authority Advertisement.
18.
I have seen the advertisement referred to by the Deputy. I do not consider that it carries the implication referred to in the Question or that its general tone is undesirable. I understand that it has not appeared in Germany.
Can the Minister say why it did not appear in German publications?
I am afraid I cannot.
Does the Minister think that sort of advertisement is desirable—to say that they can get away with the loot here?
I think the Deputy is taking it rather more seriously than he ought to, and particularly the implication to which he refers in the Question about cheap and docile labour. The words used in the advertisement were "plenty of interesting, intelligent labour". It is very difficult to draw the conclusion from those words which the Deputy has drawn.
I am talking about the phrase used: "No one skims the cream off your profits in Ireland".
It suited the market in which it was circulated.
Is that the way it is to be?