asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is aware of the serious effect which the importation of tables, sideboards and chairs from Poland and Czechoslovakia is having on employment in the furniture trade; and if steps will be taken to see that the industry is protected in the interests of those employed here.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Furniture Imports.
103.
I am not aware that imports of furniture from Poland and Czechoslovakia are having a serious effect on employment in the furniture industry and I have received no complaints on the subject from the industry.
Is the Minister aware that in the city of Dublin it is possible to buy a considerable quantity of furniture from either Poland or Czechoslovakia which is being sold here at a much cheaper rate than Irish produced furniture because of a subsidy from those countries on exports? Would the Minister not consider that a serious matter for the furniture industry?
There has been no complaint received in my Department about the effect of imports of this nature.
If such a complaint were received can I take it the Minister would have the matter investigated?
Certainly.
Does the Minister admit that furniture is being imported from both of these countries?
He does not know.
The Minister does know. This thing about Deputy L'Estrange answering questions on behalf of the Minister—he is about 20 years ahead of his time——
It takes him a long time to say yes or no.
The Minister must be allowed to answer questions. Deputies may not interrupt the Minister when he is answering questions.
There have not been any imports during 1971.
They came in with the arms. The Minister knows nothing about them.
There was during——
The Minister is a terribly foolish man to be trying to answer these questions when he knows nothing about them.
The Deputy has spent over 25 years talking about subjects he knows nothing about.
(Interruptions.)
Deputies will have to allow the Minister to answer questions.
The Minister can take it that this furniture is coming in and being sold here to the detriment of the Irish furniture industry.
I have not had any complaints.
Is the Minister going to answer my supplementary question?
I was lost out in the supplementary replies. Would the Deputy care to repeat the question?
If this is a private row you could have it outside.
The main reason why I am interested in this is that there are five furniture industries in my constituency.
Closing?
I want to say quite positively that on more occasions than one Deputy Allen has been in touch with me about furniture. There is no doubt about that.
There seems to be nothing but furniture in the offices.
The blockheads are on the far side. What I have said is that my Department have not had any complaints at all from the furniture trade.
We will remedy that next week.