asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether his Department know how many independent bakeries are in the State; how many bakeries are in foreign hands; and whether he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Bakery Trade.
33.
There are more than 300 firms in the bakery trade, the vast bulk of which are independently owned. Whilst some of the larger bakeries are controlled by milling interests within the country, strictly speaking there are not any, as far as I am aware, in foreign hands. One Dublin bakery and a few provincial bakeries are, however, controlled by a company which, though Irish, is a subsidiary of a foreign concern.
What does the Minister mean by "strictly speaking"? Are they or are they not owned by foreign interests?
No, they are not.
Why did the Minister not say that, and not just say "strictly speaking"?
A number of the bigger companies are public companies in which there are shares and, from the point of view of investigating the ownership of individual shares within that company, this is where the "strictly speaking" comes in. There is one bakery——
Which one is that?
There are a few provincial bakeries which are controlled by a company which, though Irish, is a subsidiary of a foreign concern.