I move:—
That Dáil Éireann hereby approves of the Sugar (Prohibition of Import) Order, 1946.
The House is aware that under the Sugar (Control of Import) Act, 1936, the Government makes an Order every year regulating the import of sugar during that year. Consequently, it is normal to have a motion of this kind submitted to the Dáil and Seanad in this month. The purport of the Order is to confine the import of sugar to the Irish Sugar Company. As, however, the House is aware, there is no import of sugar taking place at present, and, consequently, the submission of the motion to the House is nothing more than a formality. The Order exempts from the general prohibition upon the importation of sugar, except in accordance with the Order, sugar imported for the personal use of the importer or of the importer's household not exceeding 14 lbs. in weight and sugar sent as samples. In practice, however, the total quantity of sugar imported in the past two years has been insignificant and it is not expected that this position will be any different this year. Some quantities of sugar were offered for purchase here during the year but we considered that, having regard to the fact that we were exporting a substantial quantity of sugar by way of European relief, it would be illogical to import at the same time sugar which would otherwise be sold in the countries to which the relief supplies were going. There was the further fact that the price at which the imported sugar was available was so very much dearer than the price of home produced sugar that to enable it to be sold at the prevailing retail price a very substantial subsidy would be required. It is not possible to say when it will be possible or necessary to import sugar again but it is unlikely that the occasion for it will arise this year. Under the terms of the Act of 1936, however, the motion must be submitted to the Dáil and the Seanad and passed here to keep the legal position right.