asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is aware of the serious disquiet being expressed at the practice of Irish supermarkets who are importing foreign goods to the exclusion of Irish produced goods; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Import of Foreign Goods.
95.
I could not accept the implication in the question that Irish supermarkets are selling imported goods to the exclusion of Irish-produced goods. As long as our own products are competitive in price and quality, there is no reason why they should be displaced by imports. As I have previously stated, however, I shall be keeping developments in this regard under observation.
Have the Minister's inspectors not observed that there is a considerable growth in the quantity of foreign goods now on the shelves of supermarkets, and available throughout the whole retail trade, which must be having a damaging effect on Irish industry? In order to counteract this in a most positive way would he promote a "Buy Irish" campaign?
I am trying to explore every possibility of devising the most positive way of developing a "Buy Irish" or "Sell Irish" campaign. So many approaches have been made to this problem that it is not easy to come up with a new one. It is engaging my attention and I am in constant contact with the National Development Association in that regard.
Are the Minister's hands not tied by the Anglo-Irish Free Trade Area Agreement?
One of the problems is that there appears to be a growing concentration in the supermarket sector of the economy of foreign control and their own contacts with their own head offices give them the habit of ordering from foreign sources. In certain supermarket chains it is now very difficult to buy Irish biscuits or Irish cheese.
I dealt with that in the second last question before the Deputy came in.
The Minister should deal with it as part of his job as Minister.