I move that the Bill be received for final consideration.
Imposition of Duties (Confirmation of Orders) (No. 2) Bill, 1935—Report Stage.
As regards the amendment on the Order Paper, the Deputy who tabled it has been informed that it is out of order on this Stage.
On this motion we might get some information as to the output of cheese.
Perhaps the Deputy would defer his remarks to the Fifth Stage?
I think there is one point that might be disposed of at this stage. A duty of 1/- a lb. was imposed on cheese under Order No. 68 on the 26th April, 1935. That was reduced to 4d. a lb. in November this year. I asked the Minister for Finance, in Committee, what effect the duty of 1/- a lb. had on the production of cheese and what was the purpose of the reduction from 1/- to 4d. Perhaps we could get some information upon that point now?
Under the Dairy Produce (Stabilisation) Act of 1932 the Minister for Agriculture had power to prohibit the importation of any dairy produce and to allow a certain importation on licence. This Order was made because the Act of June, 1932, expired in March, 1935, and the new Dairy Produce (Price Stabilisation) Act, 1935, did not come into operation until two or three months after that, so that there was a period during which the Minister for Agriculture could not prohibit the import of cheese. During that period this rather high duty was imposed to protect our own manufacturers. Now that the Dairy Produce (Price Stabilisation) Act is again in operation it is possible for the Minister to prohibit the import of cheese except on licence and a smaller duty is found sufficient. The 4d. duty is necessary on this account: Under the Dairy Produce (Stabilisation) Act there is a levy collected from our own manufacturers in order to provide a bounty for the export of our own cheese. If foreign cheese was allowed in free, therefore, it would have a 4d. per lb. advantage against our own produce. The Deputy asked what effect the duty had upon manufactures. Our own manufacture has been going up steadily from 1931. In 1931 we manufactured 1,621 cwts; in 1932, 2,509 cwts; in 1933, 18,166 cwts., and in 1934, 23,498 cwts. During the same period the imports went down from 24,005 cwts. in 1931 to 573 cwts. in 1934, so that the effect of protection has been quite apparent.
The 1934 production, as given by the Minister for Finance, was 4,000 cwts., so that we may completely discount the statement of the Minister for Finance that the present output of this industry was "of the order of 4,000 cwts."
Dr. Ryan
If the Minister said that.
It is recorded in the Official Report of the 28th November, 1935. The Minister then said that "the present output is of the order of 4,000 cwts."
Dr. Ryan
I have given the figures for 1934.
In other words, the Minister for Finance knew nothing about it.
Would the Minister say what is the levy on cheese now?
Dr. Ryan
4d. per lb.
On this motion, I want to say that the Minister for Industry and Commerce objected, on previous occasions, that matters were sprung upon him without notice. I want to give him due notice now that on the Fifth Stage I will raise the whole question of the licences that have been issued for the import of cotton thread, the fines that have been imposed and the licences that have not been issued, and I will want to know the reason for these things.
In the meantime, the Ceann Comhairle will consider the point.
Yes, but the Minister has notice now.
Question put and agreed to.
Fifth Stage ordered to be taken to-morrow.