asked the Minister for Lands and Fisheries (a) whether he is aware that the reorganisation of the hand-spun industry in Co. Donegal is, being seriously retarded by the prolonged and unnecessary delay on the part of his Department in supplying a stamp; and (b) what decision has been reached in regard to supplying breaking and carding machines and dyeing baths to the Ardara district.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Reorganisation of Donegal Hand-Spun Industry.
I am not aware that the reorganisation of the home-spun industry is being retarded for the reason stated at (a). The mark of guarantee to which it is assumed the reference is made is applied by means of transfers, and any person desiring to have pieces of cloth so marked should apply to the Mart at Ardara or to my Department. The decision already taken that financial pssistancc cannot be given for the setting up of breaking and carding machines and dyeing baths at Ardara has not been altered. Great difficulty is being experienced by the Department in finding spinners in that area and it would appear highly unlikely that home-spun in sufficient quantities to justify the installation of the plant suggested can be made in the district for some considerable time to come.
Is the Minister aware that as far back as July 14, 1926, the Gaeltacht Commission recommended that a stamp should be supplied for tweed of a particular quality? Furthermore, is he aware that the industry is being seriously retarded owing to the fact that a stamp has not been supplied? Is he aware that cloth spun in Galashiels is being sent into the Dublin and other markets as home-spun material? Is he aware, in regard to (b), that in a letter to a Deputy written in April, 1929, he stated that the question of the provision at Ardara of carding and dyeing plant has not been lost sight of?
To go back to the stamp. How exactly can the lack of a stamp retard the development of home-spun there? In fact, no application has been received by the Department from anybody in Ardara having cloth desiring to have a stamp put on it. The only cloth being produced at present is under the auspices of the Department itself, and the persons to whom we sell know what the stuff is without the stamp. The test as to whether or not the industry is being retarded for want of a stamp is the fact that we have had no application for it. Before the stamp could be applied, the stuff would have to be examined to see if it wore stuff that the brand could lie applied to. In connection with the carding and dyeing plant, the Deputy goes back very far. It was then under consideration, but it is well over twelve months since I stated that I was not prepared to recommend the installation of carding and dyeing plants
Is the Minister aware that many requests have been made to his Department? Is he also aware that the policy of his Department in endeavouring to encourage the mill-spun yarns — yarns spun outside the Gaeltacht—is detrimental to the improvement of the industry in the Gaeltacht, inasmuch as it is giving employment outside it? I should like to give notice that, owing to what I consider the unsatisfactory reply of the Minister, I intend to raise this matter on the adjournment at the earliest opportunity, which, I presume, will be to-morrow.
I should like to answer portion of the Deputy's question. He asked me was I aware that there were applications for the stamp. I have already informed him that there have been ho applications for the stamp, either to the Mart or to the Department by persons desirous of having cloths stamped.
That is due to the policy adopted by the Minister's Department in encouraging mill-spun yarns as against home-spun.
I should like to inform the Deputy that the Instructor of the Department, after searching the highways and the by-ways, could only find six spinners in the neighbourhood of Ardara.
There are hundreds of spinners there.