DEBATE ON REPORTS. - DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR.
The SUBSTITUTE MINISTER FOR LABOUR said the Belfast Trade Boycott got a good fillip by what took place on the previous day. He wished to acknowledge the active work done by the Volunteers and Cumann na mBan. They could not get on with the Boycott without their assistance. Up to last Saturday he said he had a record of 184 Boycott Committees formed, and he thought these Committees could be utilised for an Irish Industrial Campaign as well. He had set up a small Commission to go into the general question of a Labour Policy. This Commission would report in two months. He thought the Report should be published throughout Ireland. It might be necessary to send someone to Italy to examine Labour conditions there, but the cost of this would be covered by the existing vote.
The ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT asked was there only one Boycott Organiser in Connacht.
J. MACENTEE (Monaghan, South) thanked the Member for North Tipperary, on behalf of the people of Belfast, for the great vigour and life he had put into the Trade Boycott since he took charge of it. He suggested that they try to organise supplies and wholesale distribution for the six North-East Counties where, owing to having no alternative sources of supply or distribution, people were compelled to purchase from Belfast.
The DIRECTOR OF FISHERIES congratulated the Substitute Minister for Labour on the way he was working the Boycott. He agreed with him that farmers should be urged to increase tillage.
The SUBSTITUTE MINISTER FOR LABOUR replying, said there was only one organiser required in Connacht. Belfast goods entered Connacht mainly through Sligo. They had a very good organiser there who would be able to stop all goods from getting through. This man said an organiser for South Connacht was not necessary. He also had organisers at Clones and Limerick. The reports he got from these organisers were most satisfactory. They could see from the papers that Belfast goods had been destroyed in Gort and Clifden, and that shopkeepers dealing with the boycotted firms had their shop fronts decorated. He then detailed some of their activities in connection with Dublin Drapery Houses. He found that the boycott of the Banks was the most difficult part of the problem, as the other banks were acting in collusion with the Ulster banks.
The question of alternative sources of supply and distribution was being attended to.
The Report was then put and adopted.