I move the motion which stands in the name of Senator Quirke:—
That Seanad Éireann hereby approves of the Control of Imports (Quotas Nos. 13 and 45) (Amendment) (Moquette and Plush) Order, 1953.
Control of Imports (Quotas Nos. 13 and 45) Order—Motion.
This extends the Order to cover moquette. It is a woven fabric used in the upholstery of furniture and vehicles. Its production was recently commenced in this country at a new plant in Birr, Offaly. It was thought desirable to afford protection to that plant by bringing this fabric within the scope of the existing quota Order.
When dealing with the previous Order, I mentioned that certain fabrics were excluded from its scope. One of the fabrics was moquette. We are bringing moquette under the Order by this amendment in the interests of this new concern. I understand that another concern is about to commence the manufacture of moquette also. The firm in Birr are hoping to develop an export trade in the course of time. They intend to install capacity in excess of home market requirements.
My only worry in that connection is that I see that you are bringing plush in also.
We had to cover plush because the Revenue Commissioners refused to take the responsibility of distinguishing between it and moquette on importation. Import licences are being freely granted for plush.
Certain types of plush are extremely similar to certain types of velvet and velveteen and these fabrics are used for the manufacture of ladies' high-class gowns.
Velvet, velveteen and other pile fabrics are excluded from the main Order.
If the invoice is for plush, which is of a character similar to velvet or velveteen, and even if the invoice is for velveteen, I can see that there will be wholesale evasion through the description on the invoice.
No. If the commodity imported is plush it is subject to the Order. We did not want to make it subject to the Order but the Revenue Commissioners said that they could not distinguish between it and moquette.
How do they recognise plush when they get the licence?
An ad hoc test is applied by the Department with regard to the bona fides of the person concerned. If he evades the Order once he certainly will not get the chance of evading it a second time.
It would be well if the Department would examine the bona fides of the suppliers of the goods.
We do not mind how much plush an importer brings in. It seems that the Senator thinks there is a danger that a person will get a licence to bring in plush and that instead he will bring in moquette. I do not think that that will happen.
Or velveteen, either.
There has been quite a development here in the production of better class ladies' evening gowns, and so forth.
Pile fabrics of all kinds were excluded from the original import Order.
I want to safeguard cloths used for the making of ladies' garments.
Question put and agreed to.