asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is aware of the redundancies that are about to take place in a factory (name supplied) in County Offaly which is the main employer in the area; if he will take steps to safeguard the jobs in this factory.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Offaly Redundancies.
77.
I am aware that there are likely to be redundancies in the firm mentioned. I understand that there has been a fall-off in sales which has led the firm to take a decision to reduce its workforce to a level commensurate with the current and foreseeable market demand for its products.
As the Deputy is aware, the footwear industry, in common with certain other sectors of industry, has been experiencing difficulties for some time because of the general recession in trade on home and foreign markets and the growth in imports.
I indicated previously the action which was being taken with a view to helping the textiles, clothing and footwear industries. Discussions with the EEC Commission and the UK authorities about this problem are still continuing. In the meantime measures are in train in my Department to introduce a system of surveillance on imports of footwear.
Is the Minister aware that most of this trouble has been caused by the dumping of cheap footwear on the Irish market, and has he any plans to try and stop imports to give factories like this a chance of survival?
There is a later question on dumping, and I shall anticipate the answer a little to say we initiated in January resort to An Coimisiún Dumpála. In the event of their finding positively we would have a formal mechanism of redress but that requires a proper and internationally respected investigation by them and a finding by them that dumping is occurring. That investigation initiated in January is very nearly complete and, depending on the nature of their reply I will have formal steps open to me. That mechanism has been put in hands as long ago as last January.
Is it a matter of a week or weeks?
I hope it will be less than a week.
Will the Minister be letting us have the details of the report?
I do not know whether it will be published in full. There may be matters that are sensitive and confidential, but the substance of it will be available.