To ask the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is aware of the general unemployment prevailing in the Agricultural Implement Manufacturing Industry in Wexford; if he is aware that Messrs. Pierce and Co., in pursuance of representations made to them by his Department, laid down a special plant to manufacture parts, to be fitted to ploughs manufactured outside this country, and what steps his Department is taking to encourage the support of this new development of Messrs. Pierce by the entire country.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. - AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT FACTORY.
RISTEARD MAC FHEORAIS
The MINISTER for HOME AFFAIRS (Mr. Kevin O'Higgins),
in the absence of the Minister for Industry and Commerce, replied:—I am aware, and regret, that considerable unemployment exists in the agricultural implement manufacturing industry in Wexford. Following the prohibition by the second Dáil of the importation of ploughs the Department of Trade and Commerce suggested to Messrs. Pierce and Co. that they should provide plant to manufacture parts to be fitted to ploughs previously imported. In all cases in which persons have applied for Permits to import these parts they have been referred to Messrs. Pierce. I regret that the result has not been to effect any marked improvement in the employment position in this industry, owing largely to the depression in agriculture, and am in consultation with the Ministry of Agriculture with a view to seeing what steps are practicable to encourage the use of Irish made agricultural implements.