asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he is aware that the Drinagh Slate Quarries, Dunmanway, County Cork, have been partly closed down during recent weeks, and considerable local unemployment thereby caused; whether he has received information that in other slate quarries in County Cork the number of men employed have been considerably reduced; and if he will state what steps he proposes to take to afford some measure of protection to the slate-quarrying industry and the interests of the workers employed in that industry.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Slate-Quarrying.
I would refer the Deputy to my answer to a similar question on the 7th December last. Measures already in force protect the output of the slate-quarrying industry against competition from imported roofing materials. I have received no representations from the industry to the effect that this protection is inadequate.
Does the Minister not consider that the closing down of a quarry and the reduction of staff in a number of others provide some indication of the position?
I think the difficulties which the slate quarries referred to in the question have encountered are due mainly, if not entirely, to the building strike of last year, and the accumulation of stocks during the period that are in existence.