asked the Minister for Transport and Power where the new bus scrolls which CIE intends to use with in-between destinations in Irish are printed.
19.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - CIE Bus Scrolls.
18.
asked the Minister for Transport and Power when the new notices or posters or timetables showing the intermediate stages of bus journeys in Irish will be ready; the cost of them; and where they have or are being printed.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 19 together.
I am informed by CIE that the initial supply of 200 of these scrolls was printed in England for the reason that, hitherto, Irish manufacturers had not undertaken the manufacture of scrolls. As a result, however, of a recent approach by CIE to the Irish Printing Federation, a number of Irish concerns are now interesting themselves in the work and CIE are in negotiation with them.
The remaining questions asked by Deputy Lindsay are matters of day to day administration of CIE.
Arising out of these questions and remembering the Minister's words in reply to Question No. 4 that Irish was the fundamental language of the Constitution, may I inquire did CIE ask for tenders for these scrolls or did they seek to place a contract in England immediately for the publication of scrolls in Irish for their company?
It is always the custom of State companies to try to secure the manufacture of the material and equipment they use in this country. It is a fact that on occasions they received no tenders from Irish manufacturers. CIE, in accordance with Government policy, deliberately went out to try to interest manufacturers in the printing of these scrolls. They approached the whole of the Printing Federation in order to find out whether any of their members were prepared to manufacture the scrolls. Therefore, CIE have discharged their duty, in my opinion, so far as the Buy Irish campaign is concerned.
Apart from the fact that they did not receive any tenders from Irish printers, were Irish printers asked specifically by CIE to tender? Did CIE, in this specific instance, first approach Irish printers to publish scrolls in Irish for them to issue?
Naturally, they issue their demands for materials in the usual way. They got no offers from Irish manufacturers.
Did they advertise this and did they specifically ask for tenders?
They were aware of the fact that no manufacturers were able to print the scrolls. They went out of their way and invited the Printing Federation to say whether any of their members would be able to print them.
It is a very simple thing for the Minister to answer. Did CIE seek tenders for this work from Irish companies?
I have already answered the Deputy.
Could this not have been postponed or deferred, if it meant sending money out of the country?
This is going to be a long term operation in any event.
Does the Minister not consider that this is another example of a number of recent cases in which Government Departments, State and semi-State companies, have all ignore the Buy Irish policy?
That is completely wrong.
It is not. Posts and Telegraphs and CIE are ignoring it.
So far as the State companies over which I have supervision are concerned, where there was a problem of whether or not the Irish manufacturer could take the order, the total value of the orders given to foreign manufacturers, as against Irish manufacturers, is extremely small. For example, about 80 per cent of the material purchased by the ESB is of Irish manufacture and, from my knowledge, CIE have gone as far as they can to secure Irish-manufactured materials and equipment. There are these borderline fringe cases where a non-Irish manufacturer is able to provide the material.
The evidence is not very convincing.
In present circumstances the margin, of course, is widening. Nevertheless, there is ultimately the question of cost.
Would it not be better to have the present scrolls in English?