asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will arrange for the investigation of alleged restrictive practices in the footwear industry which prevent new retail outlets from receiving stocks from manufacturers and wholesalers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Footwear Industry.
8.
I have had no recent complaints regarding refusal of footwear supplies to new retail outlets. Complaints of this nature should be made with full details to the examiner of restrictive practices who will investigate them. However, if the Deputy will let me have particulars of the alleged restrictive practices, I shall pass them to the examiner for investigation.
Arising from the Parliamentary Secretary's reply and in the light of questions yesterday and today with regard to Irish footwear, does he not regard it as extra stringent to impose on new retailers such conditions as compelling them to buy a complete range of sizes and half-sizes of all their products, compelling them to take a large quantity each time and asking them of their ability to pay and to advise on the footwear industry generally? Does he not consider this to be out of keeping with the efforts being made to retail Irish-manufactured shoes?
There is very severe competition in the footwear market at the moment and quite clearly it is in the interests of the manufacturers to ensure that every profitable outlet is availed of. I think that market forces are working in that direction at the moment. The examiner of restrictive practices has investigated a small number of complaints of refusal to supply in relation to footwear and so far he has found that no unfair practice has been adopted by the manufacturer. It must be borne in mind that for a manufacturer distribution costs will be higher if he increases the number of outlets to an unreasonable extent given the volume of his total business.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that recently on the programme "Here and Now" all those complaints were aired? A retailer from Deputy Faulkner's constituency referred to his inability to get supplies from Irish manufacturers. He was told he was free to use the word "blackmail" with regard to some Irish manufacturers, and it was explained what would happen to them by the other retailers in the same town if they were to supply him. Does the Parliamentary Secretary not consider such action conducive to encouraging shops to sell foreign shoes?
It may not be the same complaint that the Deputy has in mind—although it probably is—but a retailer from the Louth constituency has made a complaint to the examiner of restrictive practices which arrived within the last few days. This complaint will be investigated by the examiner.