I move that the Bill be now read a Second Time. This Bill, as I explained, is an essential corollary to the Tea Bill which is before the Dáil and which the Dáil has already given a second reading. The present arrangements for importing tea are based upon the Act which was passed in 1956. When Deputy Norton, as Minister, was presenting that Act to the Dáil as a Bill he indicated that its life was limited to two years and that he thought that two years would be sufficient to enable arrangements to be made for putting the importation of tea on a permanent basis. This other Tea Bill which the Dáil is dealing with and which provides for new arrangements for the importation of tea will not come into operation until the 1st July next unless, of course, an earlier date is fixed by Order by the Minister for Industry and Commerce. As the existing Act is due to terminate on the 31st March, the purpose of this Bill is to continue it until 31st July or for such shorter period as may be possible.
During the course of discussion upon the other Bill some Deputies appeared to think it might be of some advantage to leave a period of some months in which no control on the importation of tea would be exercisable. I think it would be a most dangerous experiment to attempt. Apart from whatever risks it might create for the security of our supplies of tea it would involve other substantial difficulties as well. I mentioned that one of the problems of the present time was to secure an orderly transfer of existing stocks of tea from Tea Importers, Limited to the wholesalers who will be handling this trade in future. That will involve certain obligations upon these wholesalers to take over these stocks, and it may be some time before the process is completed. If we were to have a period during which unrestricted importation might be permitted, everybody knowing it was only going to be a limited period in any case, there would be a risk that Tea Importers, Limited might be involved in substantial losses, certainly in substantial interest charges on these stocks and as the borrowings of that company are guaranteed by the Exchequer any loss that they incurred would ultimately come back upon the taxpayer.
While that is a very important reason, it is not the sole reason why it would be undesirable to allow a hiatus to develop in our arrangements. It is rather difficult to forecast what the position may be this year. Deputies are aware that tea is produced in various parts of the Eastern world, India, Ceylon and Indonesia. In Indonesia there are political difficulties which have led to something tantamount to a civil war in progress at the moment. In Ceylon there have been very disastrous floods recorded in recent weeks. What the effect of these events may be on the total supplies of tea in the world is very uncertain. It may be that stocks of old tea would be sufficient to make up any deficiency of supplies from these countries.