asked the Taoiseach if he will give details of the countries of origin, together with the quantity and value in each case, of motor car tyres imported into the State during each of the years 1963 to 1966 inclusive and up to the latest available date in 1967.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Imports of Motor Car Tyres.
1.
Mr. Barrett
The Official Import List, under which imported goods are classified for statistical purposes, does not contain a separate heading for motor car tyres. The available heading covers imports of tyres for motor cars, commercial vehicles and motor tractors, other than agricultural tractors. With your permission, Sir, I propose to circulate in the Official Report a statement giving particulars of such imports in each year 1963 to 1966 and in the period January-August, 1967.
Following is the statement:
IMPORTS OF CERTAIN PNEUMATIC TYRE CASES AND TUBELESS TYRES IN EACH YEAR 1963-1966 AND IN THE PERIOD JAN.-AUG., 1967.
|
Description and Country of Origin |
Quantity (Number) |
Value (£) |
||||||||
|
1963 |
1964 |
1965 |
1966 |
Jan.-Aug., 1967 |
1963 |
1964 |
1965 |
1966 |
Jan.-Aug., 1967 |
|
|
Pneumatic tyre cases and tubeless tyres: |
||||||||||
|
Motor cars, commercial vehicles and other motor tractors: |
||||||||||
|
Great Britain |
20,167 |
20,280 |
22,831 |
98,452 |
64,394 |
103,750 |
150,841 |
169,556 |
496,988 |
269,286 |
|
The Six Counties |
1,400 |
3,055 |
3,784 |
6,897 |
10,301 |
6,181 |
14,525 |
20,052 |
29,251 |
37,545 |
|
Re-Imports |
187 |
52 |
3 |
557 |
165 |
1,013 |
257 |
15 |
2,095 |
538 |
|
Belgium |
121 |
44 |
44 |
1,925 |
1,194 |
387 |
1,272 |
1,184 |
5,396 |
5,106 |
|
Luxembourg |
— |
— |
— |
1,900 |
500 |
— |
— |
— |
5,296 |
2,455 |
|
Germany (Federal Republic) |
4,260 |
4,451 |
3,197 |
9,038 |
11,864 |
10,450 |
14,244 |
12,229 |
30,373 |
37,818 |
|
Austria |
30 |
— |
50 |
1,450 |
4,437 |
57 |
— |
29 |
3,391 |
25,814 |
|
France |
4,629 |
2,343 |
6,059 |
9,438 |
10,239 |
10,831 |
6,167 |
14,299 |
27,069 |
38,125 |
|
Netherlands |
37 |
42 |
— |
150 |
558 |
445 |
260 |
— |
90 |
3,783 |
|
Sweden |
3 |
6 |
— |
1,066 |
464 |
144 |
281 |
— |
3,979 |
7,449 |
|
Switzerland |
— |
— |
— |
— |
135 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
2,577 |
|
Italy |
15 |
249 |
896 |
1,159 |
264 |
36 |
652 |
3,716 |
3,670 |
1,045 |
|
Czechoslovakia |
— |
32 |
— |
— |
6,262 |
— |
66 |
— |
— |
44,470 |
|
Saudi Arabia |
— |
— |
— |
2 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
7 |
— |
|
Israel |
— |
— |
— |
2,848 |
854 |
— |
— |
— |
7,802 |
2,264 |
|
Japan |
— |
— |
60 |
730 |
5,066 |
— |
— |
335 |
510 |
7,398 |
|
United States of America |
— |
54 |
— |
140 |
29 |
— |
294 |
— |
3,489 |
254 |
|
Canada |
4 |
— |
— |
— |
120 |
33 |
— |
— |
— |
100 |
|
TOTAL |
30,853 |
30,608 |
36,924 |
135,752 |
116,846 |
133,327 |
188,859 |
221,415 |
619,406 |
486,027 |
Mr. Barrett
Can the Parliamentary Secretary give me the gross imports of tyres from January to August, 1967, and their value?
I explained to the Deputy that at present there is not available the statistic he requires, but as from the 1st January next, a separate heading will be available for motor car tyres and the relevant section of the proposed list will give the information which he requires from 1st January.
Mr. Barrett
I understood from the Parliamentary Secretary that in the statement which he is circulating in the Official Report, there are figures for the imports of motor car tyres, commercial vehicles and tractors other than agricultural tractors. Could he give me these figures from 1st January, 1967, to August, 1967?
The figure I have is £486,027 from January to August, 1967.
Naturally, the Parliamentary Secretary will agree that the world's best tyres are Dunlop's and in view of the fact that we can produce in this country the world's best tyres by Dunlop's of Cork, what is the necessity for importing tyres?
That is a separate question.
I am not an authority on tyres, either tubeless or otherwise.
The Parliamentary Secretary travels enough to be an authority.
There is still a duty on imported tyres.
(Cavan): Is it not a fact that they are coming in in ever-increasing numbers?
Mr. Barrett
The duty has not prevented the growth of imports.
This is one of the results of the Free Trade Agreement which was passed in this House with the tacit consent of the Fine Gael party.
There is a 20 per cent decrease in imports.
Labour had not much to say about it at its recent Congress.