asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he proposes to take any steps to develop and encourage the Irish basketmaking industry; if he is aware that in Cork City one manufacturer of baskets, who carried on this industry successfully for many years, has suffered financially because of loss of trade with places outside the Irish Free State and if he proposes to take any steps to recover this lost market.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Basketmaking Industry.
In order to develop and encourage the Irish basketmaking industry a duty of 50 per cent. ad valorem (preferential rate 33? per cent. ad valorem) has been imposed on baskets and component parts thereof (excluding punnets and chip baskets) imported into the Saorstát. The trade and shipping statistics show the imports of baskets and basket ware to have declined from £2,623 in 1930 to £1,340 in 1933. I am not aware of the case referred to by the Deputy but the official statistics since 1929 only show an export in the neighbourhood of £200 in value.