asked the Minister for Local Government if, in view of the "Buy Irish" campaign, he has advised all State-sponsored bodies under the aegis of his Department to support the campaign; and if he will indicate the amount of foreign purchases of manufactured goods, on contract or otherwise, by his Department and by the State-sponsored bodies in the past 12 months, excluding goods which are not manufactured in Ireland.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Foreign Goods Purchases.
47.
Up to 31st December, 1974, local authorities and other public bodies for which responsibility lies with the Minister for Local Government were required to use materials and appliances of Irish manufacture, as far as practicable, on housing schemes and other public works carried out by them. This requirement ceased to be enforceable from 1st January, 1975, in accordance with the State's obligations under the Treaty of Accession to the European Economic Communities. Nevertheless, my Department and the local authorities and public bodies for which I am responsible have been kept aware of the desirability of using materials and equipment produced within the State to the maximum practicable extent in order to maintain employment and to contain the balance of payments deficit.
As far as I am aware, where at all practicable, no purchases of foreign goods, other than goods of a type which were not manufactured in Ireland, were made by my Department or the public bodies for which I have responsibility during the past 12 months. Particulars of purchases made by the local authorities are not available in my Department, but I have no reason to believe that the advice to give preference to goods of Irish manufacture as far as practicable is not being followed. As far as the combined purchasing scheme used by local authorities is concerned, the position is that in the current contract period, which runs from 1st July, 1975, to 30th June, 1976, no appointments have been made for the supply of an item of foreign manufacture where a suitable Irish made article was offered; approximately 80 per cent of all items covered by the scheme are of Irish manufacture.