asked the Minister for Finance if he will state in reference to the 300 bentwood chairs imported by the Office of Public Works (a) where the design of the chairs was obtained; (b) who specified that the chairs must be of bentwood construction and (c) whether, in view of the statement that no Irish manufacturer of bentwood chairs would tender for the supply of the chairs required, any consideration was given to the desirability of obtaining alternative types of chairs for which Irish manufacturers would be prepared to tender.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Import of Chairs.
asked the Minister for Finance if, further to his reply to a question on 4th March, 1953, regarding the importation of 300 chairs, he will now indicate (1) the cost per chair when imported, (2) whether any finishing by way of polishing or otherwise was carried out in this country, (3) the extra cost of this process, (4) the total cost of the 300 chairs, (5) the country of origin, (6) if he sanctioned this order, and (7) if he has satisfied himself that chairs manufactured in this country are of the best quality and suitable for every purpose.
I propose with the permission of An Ceann Comhairle to answer Questions Nos. 12 and 13 together.
The chairs in question were required to supplement existing stocks of gilded bentwood chairs which are held for use at official functions in the State apartments, Dublin Castle, and elsewhere. As it was desirable that the chairs should match, the Commissionersof Public Works accepted the advice of their technical officers that the design and construction to be sought should be those of existing chairs. Consideration was given to the question of obtaining alternative types of chairs for which Irish manufacturers could be asked to tender, and the commissioners were advised that the alternatives would not be as suitable for the specific purpose required and would be much more expensive.
The cost of the chairs, which are of Polish origin, was approximately £2 17s. each inclusive of import duty; they were gilded in Dublin at a cost of £87, and the total cost of the 300 chairs was £940 2s. 6d. A transaction of this nature would not be submitted to me in the ordinary course of business. As regards the last part of Question No. 13, I am, of course, aware of the quality of Irish manufactured furniture but, as I have already indicated, the question here was essentially one of suitability for a specific requirement.
Surely it should be possible to get if not the actual chairs, something similar from some of the chair manufacturers in this country? What explanation can the officials of the Board of Works give for not asking the chair manufacturers all over the country to tender for the chairs and give them some opportunity to meet the requirements of the Board of Works?
The only known firm manufacturing bentwood chairs were asked to supply these chairs. They refused, and actually recommended the importation of these chairs.
I understood the Parliamentary Secretary to say that these chairs were of a pattern similar to chairs which were there previously. Could he say where these chairs came from? Were they manufactured in this country?
I cannot say.
It seems to be a separate question.