asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether, following on his statement in regard to the Report of the Committee on Industrial Organisation on the motor assembly industry that motor assembly firms which produced plans for the conversion of their plants to other uses, which would give continued employment to their workers, would be given special facilities for the import of assembled cars, and motor assembly firms who had not already produced such plans prior to the publication of the Report have now done so; and, if so, how many firms have produced such plans.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Motor Assembly Industry.
19.
While I am aware that a number of assemblers are considering the possibility of undertaking alternative manufacturing projects, I am sure the Deputy will appreciate that plans for going into some new line of production cannot be matured by a firm in a matter of days. My announcement of the arrangement to which he refers was made on the 3rd January and since then this and other suggestions have been discussed with the Committee which represents the motor assembly industry. All assemblers have been notified of the points discussed and asked to consider urgently what steps they can take to provide continuing employment or alternative employment whether on the lines suggested or otherwise. If worthwhile proposals are to be expected, it is necessary to allow firms some time to consider what they can do, but a direct approach to each individual firm will be made in the very near future. While I trust that these approaches will reveal solid progress it must be recognised that the working out of proposals will take some time. The Deputy can be assured that everything possible will be done to secure the speedy development of such proposals.
In view of the fact that according to the CIO report the assemblers stated that they need the existing space in the factories for the storage of assembled cars, how does the Minister and the Taoiseach reconcile that with the statement that this space may be used for alternative purpose?
The proposal put forward by me was not limited to the question of space at all. If any assembler can show that he has adapted himself to absorb his workers in other ways, the facilities announced by me will be available to him. Another decision of the Government, to be implemented shortly by legislation in this House, will enable any such assembler to benefit if he adapts himself to alternative purposes.
Is it not a fact that, of the 22 assembly concerns in the country, six produce 70 per cent. of the output and those six are foreign-controlled? How can the Minister suggest that he expects these to change over to alternative industries, in view of the fact that the control of the number with the greatest output is outside the State?
Is the Minister in a position to say whether all or any of the special facilities announced by him will be available to other industries connected with motor car assembly such as those concerned with the provision of glass for windscreens?
The special facilities are for the importation of assembled cars but if people who are manufacturing component parts of cars such as those mentioned by the Deputy have alternative proposals to put forward, they will get all possible facilities by way of grant or loan.
There will be no special facilities over and above those mentioned in the legislation?
I think there is ample provision in the legislation proposed to cover such cases.
Is it not a fact that the decision concerning our entry into the Common Market has not been sprung upon the motor assembly industry? They had at least six months notice of it. Of the 22 firms concerned with the industry, is it not a fact that only four have proposals for alternative employment? Is the Minister not gravely disturbed by this matter and is there no action which he can take to force these people to provide alternative employment for those who are to be disemployed?
This Government do not take any action to force people to give employment by way of industrial undertakings.
You do not take any steps.
If I were a member of a totalitarian Government, I could take such steps.
If you were a member of a competent Government, you could do it.
Every encouragement is being given to these firms to provide alternative employment.
There are 62,000 people unemployed at the moment and why do you not do something about them?
The number on the register is 59,000 and they include agricultural labourers, small farmers and others.
And 23,000 emigrated last year. What does it matter what they include?
Our industrial development policy is not designed to cover everybody on the unemployment register.
The sands are running out. You will be facing it soon. In the meantime, we can wait.