asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will open up negotiations with Messrs. Gallaher, Ltd., tobacco manufacturers, Belfast, with a view to encouraging them to restart their works on the East Wall Road, and so bring about the reinstatement of their former employees, and further, if he is in a position to state whether the taxation imposed by the Finance Act, 1932, and which they state was responsible for their closing down, has resulted in increased employment in other tobacco firms in the Irish Free State, and, if so, how many additional hands have been employed in that industry.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Restarting of Gallaher's Factory.
I am quite ready to consider any representations that may be made to me by or on behalf of Messrs. Gallaher, Dublin, Ltd. I am not at present in a position to furnish the information asked for in the second part of the question.
Can the Minister give us any idea as to when he will be in a position to give the information asked for in the question or will he take steps to find out the information; in the second place can the Minister say whether the taxation imposed by the Finance Act, 1932, and which was responsible for the closing down of this firm, has given satisfaction to his Department in the way in which it has been worked?
I am quite satisfied that it has been working well.
When will the Minister be in a position to answer the question put to him?
That information is collected from the 1st March each year. The returns have not yet been completed. I am not in a position to say when these returns will be tabulated and completed. Information in the case of firms receiving protection is collected from the 1st March each year.
Is the Minister aware whether other tobacco firms in the Saorstát have been able to give any reasonable amount of extra employment as a result of 300 employees in Gallaher's firm losing their employment?
I have already explained that this information with respect to the number of persons employed in protected industries is collected as from the 1st March. The returns are not yet complete, and until they are completed I will not be in a position to give the Deputy the information asked for.
Is the Minister able to say that he is not able to get this information from these firms at a half an hour's notice—that is, information as to whether they had increased their staff as a result of the legislation that led to the closing down of Gallaher's factory? Will the Minister say if he is aware that out of the 300 persons employed in Gallaher's factory only a half-a-dozen have since found suitable employment?
I am aware that the Deputy's information is not correct.
Will the Minister tell the House if the tobacco firms in the Saorstát gave any increased employment or whether they have an increased number at work now?
The Minister knows they did not give any increased employment.
The Deputy's information is equally incorrect.
Next question.
May I draw your attention, sir, to the fact that I gave adequate notice of this question and that in the Minister's reply the question has been evaded?
I have already explained to the Deputy that protected firms are required to forward the returns of the numbers employed by them on the 1st March. The information is not yet completed and consequently the information that the Deputy asks for is not available.
I am not speaking of protected firms generally. I am speaking only of the tobacco firms in the Saorstát, and I submit that that information could be got in half-an-hour.
A Deputy
Why did you not get it yourself then?
This is all a smoke screen.
Is it a smoke screen—is the dismissal of 300 employees from their employment a smoke screen?