I beg to ask leave to introduce this Bill. It is
A Bill entitled an Act to provide for the early closing of shops in the County Borough of Dublin and surrounding urban districts in which the trade of Draper, Tailor, Outfitter, Hatter, Hosier, Glover, Boot and Shoe Dealer or House-furnisher and Upholsterer, or any of them, is carried on.
This Bill is necessitated by the following reasons:—In the year 1920 a general agreement was reached between a meeting representative of the drapery trades generally in Dublin and a meeting of the representatives of the assistants or employees in these trades, by which the closing of the premises was to take place not later than the hour of 7.30 on Saturday evenings. Members of the Seanad will remember that during the war period here late shopping practically disappeared. That was one of the few benefits of the war period. There was a general desire to take further benefit from that advantage. As a result, after a good deal of negotiations an agreement was reached by which these houses which were in the habit of staying open on Saturday nights late until eight o'clock agreed that they would close at 6.30, and those that were in the habit of closing at 9 or 10 agreed that they would close at 7.30. During the last year, particularly, owing to some houses that were parties to that agreement having changed hands, in some districts in Dublin, there is a tendency to dwindle back again to late shopping on Saturday nights. As a result, certain disputes have taken place and a good deal of dissatisfaction results.
Under the Shop Hours Act of 1912 it might be possible to obtain a closing order, but in this particular case it is not possible, for this reason, that every shop, even where that shop had only one employee, has one vote, and a firm, such as Clery's or Pim Brothers, employing a large staff also receives only one vote. While there is undoubtedly a general desire that there should be early closing in the drapery trades generally on Saturday nights, it is not possible to obtain a closing order under the Act of 1912. In introducing this Bill I might say that the principle of the Bill has been agreed to, though the details have not been submitted. The principle of the Bill has been agreed to by the Merchant Drapers' Association of Dublin and they support me in introducing this Bill; it is also agreed to by the distributive workers or their trade union. For these reasons I hope that the Seanad will not hesitate in giving this Bill a First Reading. The remarks of Senator McLoughlin, though they do not apply to me and had nothing to do with my bringing in of this Bill, will, I hope, weigh with the Seanad in passing it.
