asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state if it is a fact that jam manufacturers in the Saorstát may mix foreign-grown fruit with home-grown and sell the product as Irish; and, if so, whether he will take steps to prevent this.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Imported Fruit in Saorstát Jam.
Manufacturers of jam, like many other manufacturers, are entitled to describe as Irish a product made in Ireland from imported raw material. I consider that it would not be in the interests of Irish industry that such a practice should be prohibited, although it is obviously desirable that jam manufacturers should use all the home-grown fruit they can.
Does the Minister not consider it would be in the interests of Irish fruit-growers if such were the case?
I have to think of the effect on other industries before I take a step such as that suggested in regard to jam.
After all the agricultural industry is one of the biggest in the country, and here the fact is that jam manufacturers are allowed by law to label their jams "Irish manufacture," although there is foreign fruit in that jam?
The Deputy is asking me to make it illegal to describe as "Irish flour" whatever was milled in this country from foreign wheat.
The question is if the Minister will state if it is a fact that jam manufacturers in the Saorstát may mix foreign-grown fruit with home-grown and sell the product as Irish?
That is a fact.
But they should not be allowed to sell it as Irish.
Is that only in relation to jam?
A resolution was passed here in the Dáil a short time ago dealing with trade marks and other marks, and some law should be introduced dealing with the question of marking foreign stuffs as Irish.
The Deputy does not realise the implications in the question. The implication would mean that nothing could be described as Irish which was made from imported raw material. I do not think that would be in the interests of Irish industry.
The purchaser should be aware whether the material he is purchasing is really Irish or made out of imported raw material. He is not aware that it is not really the product of Irish labour or only the product of half Irish labour. It is simply foreign produced fruit made into a finished product and marked Irish.
I do not think that it would be in the interests of Irish industry that such a practice as suggested in the question should be prohibited.