andMr. L. Burke asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism if he will request all agencies under the aegis of his Department to specify that paint manufactured in Ireland is to be used in all contracts they award.
Ceisteanna — Questions Oral Answers - Use of Irish Paint.
14.
I am satisfied that the agencies under the aegis of my Department are aware of their responsibilities in the important matter of supporting Irish products and services which includes paints manufactured in Ireland.
Is the Minister aware that on two occasions recently paint contracts in relation to very big IDA-supported industries went outside this country? I can give the Minister the names of the companies if he wants them.
Yes. I am aware that there was a question of some non-Irish companies getting contracts in relation to some commercial painting. This was completely outside the control of the Department and as a result of this we had consultations with some of the representatives of companies involved in the industry here. We always impress on the agencies involved, the IDA and others, that they should try to ensure that whereever possible the Irish product will be used by all of these companies.
Is the Minister suggesting that merely by exhortation and occasionally calling in the managing director of the IDA and telling him he wants this done that this is being done. Has the Minister not a duty to follow it up further to see that in every instance, provided that the product is not inferior and the price is approximately the same, such contracts go to an Irish company?
This is the practice.
The Minister should remember that it is the taxpayers' money that is being spent.
What specific mechanisms, if any, are there in the Minister's Department to ensure the purchase of Irish goods by grant-aided companies? If these mechanisms are not there has the Minister any ideas about putting them there?
In so far as it is possible without discriminating, the Department, the Irish Goods Council, the IDA and all the other agencies involved, are trying to impress on contractors and everybody involved the necessity of giving first choice to Irish goods.
In view of the fact that the Office of Public Works and RTE have deliberately bought foreign goods for use in schools and in RTE, surely the Minister is not expecting us to believe that a simple exhortation is sufficient to get the semi-State bodies to change their minds?
The Deputy must be aware of the way this matter of the sale of Irish goods has been promoted on television and so on. We are doing everything posible to ensure——
It is the purchase of the goods, not the promotion.
Is the Minister not aware that the Office of Public Works are supplying French carpets for Irish schools? Is he not aware that RTE bought carpet tiles in Holland for their floors? Surely, in view of that, the Minister cannot seriously expect us to believe that the Governent are interested in Irish goods.
Every semi-State board have had a circular from my Department explaining what the position is and suggesting what they should do.
Would the Minister consider the setting up of some monetary mechanism to ensure that grant-aided companies will purchase Irish products where they are available here? Will he introduce legislation to that end if necessary?
I certainly will discuss that with the officials in the Department to see if some more thorough means can be set up to ensure that Irish-produced goods are made available.
Does the Minister see the connection between this question and Deputy Quinn's question, because there is a connection?