Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 22 May 1929

Vol. 30 No. 1

In Committee on Finance. - Resolution No. 8—Re-imported Woven Tissue.

Mr. Blythe

I move:—

(1) That whenever the Revenue Commissioners are satisfied that any woven tissue which is imported into Saorstát Eireann on or after the 23rd day of May, 1929, and but for this Resolution would be chargeable with the duty imposed by Section 1 of the Finance (Customs and Stamp Duties) Act, 1929, is intended solely for use in the upholstering of furniture or vehicles, the Revenue Commissioners may, subject to compliance with such conditions as they may think fit to impose, permit such woven tissue to be imported without payment of the said duty or repay any such duty paid on importation.

(2) It is hereby declared that it is expedient in the public interest that this Resolution shall have statutory effect under the provisions of the Provisional Collection of Taxes Act, 1927 (No. 7 of 1927).

In connection with this matter, the Tariff Commission states:—

"As mentioned in paragraph 44 of our report on the original application, no representations were received by us during the course of our investigations into that application from users of wool-furnishing fabrics. It was not until after the imposition of the duty and the publication of the report that the furniture manufacturers took any action, although the scope of the application and the proceedings at the Commission had been given full publicity in the Press and advertisements had been published inviting persons whose interest were likely to be affected by the granting of the application to communicate with the Commission."

The position is that there is one mill in the Saorstát which has undertaken the manufacture of furnishing fabrics, but the Irish Woollen and Worsted Manufacturers' Association when consulted in regard to the proposed exemption of these fabrics from the scope of the duty replied: "One firm in our Association is making some effort in that department but we fear that there is not much prospect of these cloths ever being supplied in the variety required." The position, therefore, is that in certain branches of the furnishing trade the benefit of the existing tariff on furniture would be largely reduced if furniture cloths were not exempted.

Mr. Moore

I wonder would the Minister say whether he has taken into account the fact that there is another application at present before the Tariff Commission which may obviate a case for this so far as cloths required for coach building are concerned. There is an application from coach builders before the Commission and they are expecting, as a result of that application, that their business will be vastly increased. I know that certain firms have been in communication with one woollen manufacturer with a view to the manufacture of materials suitable to their requirements. At one hearing of this application to which I refer a coach builder exhibited a vehicle, and the body, which he had made, was covered with material manufactured in a local woollen mill. It does not seem to me to be a pressing case and I would like to know whether the Coach Builders' Association have been consulted or whether the Minister has taken into account the matter to which I refer.

Mr. Flinn

Has there been any notice other than the statement made by the Minister in the Seanad and in the Dáil that this matter was going before the Tariff Commission? Was any official step taken to intimate to those concerned that this matter was going before the Commission?

Motion put and agreed to.