When speaking last night, I was answering in regard to matters which arose not on the Bill before the House but on the wider aspect of the Free Trade Area, and I sought to allay the anxiety which has been expressed in the House several times in regard to the possibility of dumping. Legislative proposals have been prepared to meet the possibility of dumping, and I am satisfied that after consulation with industry and having regard to our international commitments, and possible commitments, they are adequate to protect Irish industry, and the various sensitive industries, against dumping.
The other problems are those of redundancy of workers and, as the House already knows, legislation is being prepared and a committee representative of the people interested has been set up and the legislation will come before the House. Training and re-training is a matter for other legislation which has already been introduced by the Parliamentary Secretary, and I expect that wide consulation with the people concerned will now take place.
The points raised on the actual Bill, which dealt with duty-free licences, Rules of Origin and special concessions for Northern Ireland, were mainly on the Rules of Origin. Deputy Dillon inquired if our Rules of Origin were any more stringent than those applied by the British Government and I should like to say that, by and large, they are not any more or less stringent. We are in certain fields stricter and they in others. The Rules of Origin have been agreed between the two Governments in the course of the negotiations on the Free Trade Area Agreement and have been drawn up mainly with regard to the state of development of the two economies.
In relation to the income tax export concession, the goods had to be manufactured here but there was no other qualification except that the Revenue Commissioners had to satisfy themselves that the goods were manufactured here. In regard to origin rules for which the Minister for Industry and Commerce is responsible, as well as manufacturing, a percentage of the value of the article comes into consideration.
Deputy O'Leary feared the concessions which we will give to Northern Ireland firms may be going to firms whose capital is British-based. This is possible, but the fact remains that the Northern Ireland firms employ Northern Ireland citizens. The advantages which we would give in these concessions to Northern Ireland firms vis-à-vis British firms would be to the benefit of their employees. Any order affecting the rate of duty on Northern Ireland goods will be placed before the Dáil.
There is nothing in this Bill to threaten employment, as was feared by Deputy Larkin, by having further competition which industry here could not face. The 20 per cent advantage on the first day of the coming into operation of the Agreement has already been the subject of an order and what is sought in this Bill is the authority to make further adjustments as we go along. Any such concessions as have already been given have been given after consultation with Irish industry and any further concessions will also be the subject of consultation with Irish industry. Our intention is to give advantage to Northern Ireland over British industry. This advantage will be ten per cent but our first consideration is our own industry here.