asked the Minister for Finance if he is prepared to extend to the paper making industry of this country the benefit of protection which Great Britain and Northern Ireland are enjoying, and if, in view of the fact that certain Free State mills have been lying idle for some years past, while others are, owing to foreign competition, in danger of sharing a similar fate, he is prepared to take prompt steps to have a suitable tariff imposed on such classes of paper imported into the Free State as are being made or can be made in this country, and thereby lead to a considerable increase in employment.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - PAPER MAKING INDUSTRY.
I would refer the Deputy to my reply to a similar question which he addressed to me on the 30th April, 1926, when I stated that nothing could be done in the way of protecting this industry unless and until the question had been considered by the Tariff Commission. No application under the Tariff Commission Act has yet been made in respect of this industry, but I am prepared to refer an application to the Commission if it is made by persons of the representative character required by the Act.
Mr. BYRNE
Is the Minister aware that at the present moment Great Britain has a free market here whilst we have no market in Great Britain owing to protection on the other side?
That is so, but it is open to the people interested in the industry here to make application for a tariff and to have that application considered in the usual way.