asked the Minister for industry and Commerce if he will state in respect of each of the years 1965 to 1971 (a) the number of boot and shoe factories which have been obliged to close down owing to trading or financial difficulties and (b) the number of persons who lost their employment in each case.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Closures of Shoe Factories.
41.
I am not in a position to give the number of boot and shoe factories which closed down in these years due specifically to trading or financial difficulties. Closures of factories may be due to reasons other than those named by the Deputy. However, the number of such factories which closed down in each of the years 1965 to 1970 and in 1971 to date and the approximate number of persons who lost their employment in each year are as follows:
|
Approximate Employment Lost |
||
|
1965 |
One factory |
100 |
|
1966 |
Four factories |
220 |
|
1967 |
Two factories |
610 |
|
1968 |
One factory |
220 |
|
1969 |
None |
|
|
1970 |
Three factories |
150 |
|
1971 (To date) |
Two factories |
85 |
One of these factories was subsequently taken over by a co-operative group, including the workers.
Despite the sorry trend of events, does the Minister not agree that there are further closures of shoe factories likely unless drastic action is taken now? Does the Minister not have information available on his file to this effect?
I certainly could not give a guarantee that there would not be any further closures. I do not know what drastic action the Deputy has in mind.
Stem the volume of imports.
I think the Deputy is mistaken as replies to his further questions will show.
Had the Anglo-Irish Free Trade Area Agreement any effect on this?
I am quoting figures back to 1965 and they show the closures which took place in each year at a time when we had a quota which was rigid and which allowed something like 5 per cent or less of the total number of shoes used in the country to be imported.
42.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the amount of footwear imported under duty-free licences, indicating the type of footwear, the country of origin and the average cost per pair in each of the years 1960 to 1969 inclusive and in each month in 1970 and 1971 to date.
No import duty was payable on leather or textile footwear before 1st July, 1970, but quota restrictions operated. Accordingly, no duty free licences for leather footwear were issued before that date. A statement of the quantities and types of footwear to which this former quota applied and which have been licensed for duty-free importation since the removal of the quota on the 1st July, 1970, and up to 28th February, 1971, will, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, be circulated with the Official Report.
A separate statement showing quantities and types of rubber and plastic footwear for which duty-free licences have been issued in 1968, 1969 and the half-year ended 30th June, 1970, will also be circulated with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle. These latter types have not been subject to quota restrictions since 1st January, 1965. Figures for the years 1960 to 1967 are not available. The corresponding figures for the second half of 1970 and 1971 to date are available but could not be compiled immediately in suitable form. If the Deputy puts down a question I can, however, make the figures available to him in the near future. I have no knowledge of the value or origin of footwear imported under duty-free licences.
The Deputy is probably aware that licences for quantities outside the appointed quota were issued up to the 30th June, 1970, for special types of leather and textile footwear. In accordance with statutory requirements statements were laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas showing the names of recipients, the number of licences and the quantities licensed in each of the six-month periods covered by each of the quota period orders.
Duty free licences are issued only for types of footwear for which it is considered suitable substitutes are not available from the Irish footwear manufacturers. The total quantities for which duty-free licences were issued do not necessarily equal the total quantities imported under licence in the corresponding periods since licences may not always be fully utilised. Information as to the actual quantities imported under licence is not, therefore, available.
Following are the two statements for circulation:
Quantities and Types of leather and canvas footwear licensed during the period July, 1970 to February, 1971.
|
July |
August |
September |
October |
November |
December |
January |
February |
Total |
|
|
1970 |
1970 |
1970 |
1970 |
1970 |
1970 |
1971 |
1971 |
||
|
A Childrens “Inneraze” Footwear |
1,716 |
1,063 |
2,654 |
1,772 |
1,633 |
537 |
719 |
2,198 |
12,292 |
|
Ballet shoes with no heels and theatrical dancing shoes |
3,265 |
531 |
1,447 |
1,475 |
2,411 |
1,169 |
1,259 |
3,152 |
14,709 |
|
B Ladies Multiple fitting Shoes |
1,079 |
381 |
— |
888 |
119 |
1,270 |
1,640 |
1,057 |
6,434 |
|
Jodphur Boots and Riding Boots |
273 |
886 |
144 |
174 |
— |
19 |
288 |
1 |
1,785 |
|
C Tennis Shoes |
7,082 |
5,680 |
4,525 |
30,650 |
2,445 |
76 |
3,423 |
— |
53,881 |
|
Hockey Boots |
6,000 |
— |
— |
36 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
6,036 |
|
Basketball Boots |
3,330 |
690 |
300 |
3,500 |
35 |
— |
— |
— |
7,855 |
|
D Road Running shoes with non-spiked soles |
194 |
6 |
585 |
1,446 |
397 |
1,200 |
5,040 |
133 |
9,001 |
|
Mountaineering Boots |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
290 |
— |
— |
290 |
|
Flying Boots |
— |
— |
— |
100 |
— |
— |
30 |
130 |
|
|
Play Boots (costing not less than 17/- per pair) |
587 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
587 |
|
Bowling Shoes |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
1,000 |
18 |
1,018 |
|
Safety footwear |
315 |
202 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
21 |
538 |
|
Yachting Shoes |
— |
350 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
120 |
588 |
1,058 |
|
E Miscellaneous Types (in transit before July, 1970) |
— |
1,385 |
1,007 |
558 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
2,950 |
|
Ski Boots |
— |
1 |
— |
53 |
— |
— |
15 |
— |
69 |
|
Gym soks |
— |
— |
136 |
36 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
172 |
|
Motor cycle scrambling boots |
— |
— |
25 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
25 |
50 |
|
Rope Soled Malting boots |
— |
— |
636 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
636 |
|
Fencing Shoes |
— |
— |
— |
— |
50 |
— |
— |
— |
50 |
|
Sailing Boots |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
76 |
— |
76 |
|
Cricket Boots |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
58 |
58 |
|
Others including Manufacturers samples |
244 |
103 |
77 |
168 |
119 |
110 |
252 |
412 |
1,485 |
NOTES:—A A special type of footwear prescribed by the medical profession for certain foot conditions.
B Very stringent conditions agreed between the manufacturers and importers are applied to these imports.
C Licensing of these shoes has been discontinued. This licensing was previously controlled by a minimum price condition.
D Licensing has been discontinued recently as an Irish manufacturer has commenced production.
E A special concession was made at termination of the quota restrictions for consignments which were in transit and for which there were unused balances on Quota licences.
STATEMENT OF DUTY-FREE LICENCES ISSUED FOR THE IMPORTATION OF RUBBER AND PLASTIC FOOTWEAR
|
1968 |
1969 |
1/1/70 to 30/6/1970 |
Totals |
|
|
Golf Shoes |
7,695 |
15,536 |
2,274 |
25,505 |
|
Green Waders |
4,013 |
3,596 |
846 |
8,455 |
|
Rubber Riding Boots |
1,089 |
3,235 |
1,313 |
5,637 |
|
Industrial Plastic Sandals |
102 |
— |
150 |
252 |
|
Rubber Safety Boots |
4,857 |
15,747 |
3,370 |
23,974 |
|
Infants Plastic Pram Shoes (Sizes 0-3) |
16,027 |
38,506 |
12,861 |
67,394 |
|
Yachting Boots |
1,276 |
1,897 |
261 |
3,434 |
|
White Wellington Boots |
3,042 |
2,821 |
947 |
6,810 |
|
Over shoes and Goloshes |
589 |
17,085 |
3,361 |
21,035 |
|
Hospital over shoes |
67,898 |
50,183 |
10,500 |
128,581 |
|
Children's Plastic Sandals |
106,700 |
— |
— |
106,700 |
|
Sports and Lumber Boots |
— |
18,843 |
5,681 |
24,524 |
|
Soles for flip-flop sandals |
— |
50,000 |
— |
50,000 |
|
Plastic Tennis Shoes |
— |
12 |
— |
12 |
|
Bathing Shoes |
— |
1,200 |
728 |
1,928 |
|
Samples for testing purposes |
— |
308 |
— |
308 |
|
Rubber Fishing Boots, Waders, etc. |
— |
— |
1,386 |
1,386 |
Would the Minister be kind enough to arrange that the more detailed information which he has not got now will be passed on to me as soon as possible?
Yes, I will do that.
43.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he has received representations from various sections of the boot and shoe industry expressing alarm at the worsening situation stemming from the increasing volume of imports; if he will meet the parties involved as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Having considered the representations made to me recently by the Irish manufacturers of footwear, I intend to meet representatives of the manufacturers again in the near future and I also intend to arrange for discussions with other interests concerned.
Will the Minister be prepared to meet the representatives of the workers in the industry as well——
Yes.
If such a request is made?
Yes.
We hope that this meeting will be at a very early date.
I think the Minister intends to have it at an early date.
We are witnessing the annihilation of the footwear industry at present unless somebody steps into the gap.
Perhaps I might be permitted to point out to the Deputy that when one compares the imports during January with the monthly average for the previous six months one finds that there is a decrease of 20 per cent in quantity and 27 per cent in value in those imports.
I am satisfied that 500,000 pairs have come in since last July and if this trend continues we shall be back to black 1947 when the industry was rocked to its foundations. These are black days for the footwear industry.
Perhaps the Deputy will explain sometime how it is that the various closures to which I have referred in an earlier reply were occurring at a time when there was a very strict quota on imports.