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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 22 Nov 1933

Vol. 50 No. 3

Ceisteanna.—Questions. Oral Answers. - New Factories.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state, regarding the list of new factories published by him on the 13th of January last as having been opened between March, 1932, and that date, the number of such factories opened by persons bearing any of the following surnames—(1) Matz, (2) Gaw, (3) Lucks, (4) Galette, (5) Keye, (6) Wigglesworth, (7) Woodington, (8) Vogel, (9) Witstan or Whizton, (10) Caplan or Caplal, (11) Hastello, (12) Silverstein (13) Boys, (14) Mendelberg, (15) Levins, (16) Vereker, (17) Minister, (18) Michaels, (19) Griew, (20) Levy, (21) Mennel, (22) Yaffe; the nature of the business carried on in each case, the amount of capital invested in the company, the number of (a) adult and (b) juvenile employees known at any time to have been employed therein.

The answer to the first part of the question is four; two factories being engaged in the manufacture of women's clothing, one in the manufacture of furniture, and one in packing. Information as to the capital invested in companies can be obtained in the Companies Registration Office, Dublin Castle.

Any information obtained by my Department as regards the employment in individual factories is confidential and cannot, therefore, be disclosed.

I would like to ask the Minister if factories set up by persons with the surnames mentioned in my question were included in the list he published on the 13th January?

I have already answered that question. I said there were four such factories.

Were there four factories set up by people with the name of Matz, or four set up by people named Gaw?

No, four altogether.

Four between the 22 of them.

Does the Minister say that out of the 22 names I have given him no factory was set up except by four of them?

Will the Minister inform the House whether Mr. Gaw, Mr. Silverstein or Mr. Hastello have a competent knowledge of Irish?

I will get Deputy Anthony to examine them.

Maybe they are attending Deputy Dillon's class.

Or the classes in Mountjoy?

I would like to have it clearly from the Minister whether the statement on the 13th January did not include factories or alleged factories set up by any but four of the names in this list?

That is the reply I have given to the Deputy.

Arising out of the Minister's reply, I should like to know if in the following cases any provisions of the Control of Manufactures Act have operated to preserve the factories referred to for predominant control by Irish nationals and whether he will say if the names Matz, Gaw, Lucks, Galette, Keye, Wigglesworth, Vogel, Witstan or Whizton, Caplan or Caplal, Hastello, Silverstein, Mendelberg, Levins, Michaels, Griew, Levy, Mennel and Yaffe are Irish nationals within the meaning of the Act?

I want to protest against this attempt which is being made here to damage the trade done by firms in this country, many of which have been established for many years. Amongst the names read out by the Deputy are names associated with industry in this country for a long number of years, some of whom are a lot better Irishmen than the Deputy.

I would like to ask——

Question No. 15.

The Minister has been allowed to make certain protestations.

Respect the Chair.

The Ceann Comhairle is the sole judge as to the number and relevancy of supplementary questions.

I am not questioning that, but the Minister is allowed to make protestations here. Is nobody else allowed to make protestations against the statement made by the Minister?

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