asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy if he will direct Bord na Móna to return their order for the supply of plastic bags to the Irish firm CB Packaging Ltd. of Clondalkin, County Dublin, thereby protecting jobs in this country.
Ceisteanna—Questions . Oral Answers . - Bord na Móna Plastic Bags Order .
10.
: I am advised by Bord na Móna that of a total order valued at £600,000 recently placed for plastic bags for moss peat, an order valued at £200,000 was placed with CB Packaging Ltd. I am further advised that the cost of packaging is a significant proportion of the total production cost of moss peat, 85 per cent of which is exported. While the board give all possible consideration to the interests of Irish manufacturers in purchasing equipment and materials they must, in considering quotations, bear in mind the need to maintain their competitive position in the export market. Acceptance of an uncompetitive quotation from an Irish firm could adversely affect the board's prospects in the export market, thereby jeopardising employment in the moss peat factories.
I might add I subscribe fully to the principle of support for home industry by organisations under the aegis of my Department and I wish to reassure the Deputy that every effort is made by Bord na Móna to ensure the employment of Irish firms to the maximum possible extent.
: Does the Minister not agree that it is a very bad precedent if a semi-State company take this attitude to the "Buy Irish" campaign and ignore it in this way? Is this the answer that every private or State company give to avoid buying Irish?
: The "Buy Irish" campaign does not suggest to semi-State companies or to ordinary members of the public that they should buy Irish goods if the price involved is considerably in excess of what similar goods from abroad would cost. In this case, having examined the position, I am satisfied that Bord na Móna acted quite properly.
: Is the Minister suggesting that the company producing the bags are an inefficient company?
: I am not suggesting that at all.
: Is the Minister suggesting that because they cannot produce bags as cheaply as a company that have to export them to Ireland?
: I am not suggesting that they are inefficient. I am stating that their price was significantly higher than that of certain other companies from abroad.