I move:—
That Dáil Éireann hereby approves of Sugar (Prohibition of Import) Order, 1956.
Nos. 4 and 5 on the Order Paper can be discussed together. They both relate to the prohibition of the import of sugar except by the Irish Sugar Company. An Order to that effect has been made, under the Sugar Importation Act, every year for the past 20 years. The effect is to confine the importation of sugar to the Irish Sugar Company. The Order made by my predecessor last year, which is one of the Orders mentioned here, contained a modification of that provision in so far as it allowed the importation of sugar by manufacturers for export trade. At that time it was considered possible for manufacturers to import sugar at a lower price than the price at which they could obtain it here. Indeed, not very much sugar was imported and the position has now completely reversed itself again so that a manufacturer requiring sugar would be able to get it considerably cheaper here than the price at which he could import it. Consequently, that amendment of the Order is no longer required and the Order is now being remade in its original and usual form.