asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy the numbers of staff and the procedures involved in the monitoring and encouraging of the Government's Buy Irish campaign; and if he will state specifically whether or not it extends to the activities of the State and semi-State organisations.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Buy Irish Campaign.
12.
The Government's three-year programme for the promotion of Irish goods, which commenced in January 1978, is being implemented by the Irish Goods Council under my direction as Minister of State. The Irish Goods Council have a full-time executive staff of six, including the chief executive, and a back-up staff of eight. In addition, three departmental staff are involved with the programme on a part-time basis.
The main procedures for promoting increased sales of Irish goods include
—the organisation by the Irish Goods Council of promotional programmes involving manufacturers, retailers and consumers to increase public awareness of the economic importance and the practical advantage of purchasing Irish-made goods;
—the provision of incentives to manufacturers for co-operative marketing programmes on a sectoral basis;
—the promotion of Irish goods by the Irish Goods Council on a sectoral basis in collaboration with groups of manufacturers;
—the encouragement of initiatives by community organisations to identify opportunities for import substitution by home producers.
The identification of opportunities for import substitution in the area of industrial purchasing is an important element of the programme and the Irish Goods Council are working in close consultation with industrial purchasers and distributors of industrial components, and with other State agencies such as the IDA and the IIRS.
The three-year programme extends to purchasing by State and semi-State organisations. Discussions have already been held with a number of these bodies and continuing discussions, involving workshop sessions, are planned with a view to increasing the level of purchases by these bodies from local sources.
Monitoring of the progress of the programme is being undertaken by the Irish Goods Council and at departmental level.
Arising out of the Minister's reply that this campaign does extend to State and semi-State organisations, is the Minister aware that earlier this month in reply to four questions of mine I was informed by letter that matters of domestic meters supplied to the public by the ESB and ticket machines used on CIE buses— just to give two examples—were not the official responsibility of the Minister and so he did not have any function in the matter? How is that consistent with the Minister's reply to this particular question?
My reply is——
I heard the reply and I am wondering how it gels with what I was told earlier in the month.
The position is that I am trying as far as possible, and I must say I am very grateful for the co-operation of the State, semi-State and local government agencies, to implement this scheme. There will, of course, be anomalies.
Has the Minister responsibility in respect of the Buy Irish campaign as it extends to the State and semi-State sectors and organisations?
I have.
In that case I was misled earlier this month. Can the Minister tell me if the Department of Education has specifically a degree of monitoring of purchases in the context of the Buy Irish campaign?
The Deputy would want to put down a question to the Minister for Education in regard to that.
The Minister for Education told me the Department did not.
Has the Minister issued a directive to the State and semi-State bodies to buy Irish?
I had a meeting with the chief executives of 14 of the major semi-State companies and there are regular discussions going on with the chief executives and their purchasing officers and technical people with regard to this whole matter.
The Minister has not replied to my question. I asked him if he has issued a specific directive to State and semi-State bodies to buy Irish.
I met them.
Did the Minister issue a directive—yes or no?
A directive was not given to Irish Life in time.
The Minister has not issued a directive. This is just bluff.
Let there be some consideration for the national interest.
Is the Minister aware of or concerned about the question of domestic meters hired to the public by the ESB and the ticket machines used on CIE buses? Is he aware whether these are of Irish manufacture or are they imported?
Obviously I cannot answer every question off the top of my head. It is impossible to answer every question.
Question No. 13. We cannot spend all day on this question.