Vol. 416 No. 6
162 Mr. Barry asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he intends to adopt the EC plans to help the adjustment of industrial structures in those regions which are heavily dependent on clothing and textiles; his views on the fact that Ireland's clothing employment, 60 per cent of total industrial employment, is higher than any other EC member state; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I assume that the EC plans to which the Deputy refers, is the Commission's draft RETEX initiative. The broad stated aim of this is to accelerate the diversification of economic activities in regions heavily dependent on the textiles and clothing sectors so as to render them less dependent on these sectors and to encourage the adjustment of commercially viable businesses in all sectors of industrial activity.
The draft RETEX initiative was formally referred by the Commission to the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and to the Committee for the Development and Conversion of Regions and is I understand currently being examined by them.
I understand that the Commission hope to be able to formally adopt this initiative in the coming months, with co-operation of the above bodies.
I welcome the draft initiative in principle but there are a number of aspects to the current draft which require clarification. My Department has been engaging in ongoing discussions with the Commission in this regard.
I have consistently underlined in the context of EC discussions that Ireland is one of the member states where the textile and clothing industries are of particular significance and thus the EC authorities are well aware of the sensitivities of these sectors for us. I should, however, point out that the clothing sector accounts for 6 per cent of industrial employment in Ireland and not 60 per cent as stated in the question.
