I move:
That Dáil Éireann is of opinion that the Minister for Industry and Commerce should order an inquiry into the decision of the firm of Messrs. J. & L.F. Goodbody, Ltd., Clara, County Offaly, to close jute spinning at their long-established mills at Clara; that such inquiry be conducted by a senior officer of the Department of Industry and Commerce who shall investigate all aspects of the industry having regard to the amount of public money invested in same in recent years; that papers, persons and records be made available for such inquiry; and that the trade unions involved on behalf of the workers be permitted to give evidence thereat.
I move this motion, first of all, on behalf of the workers involved in this industry. As the Minister is aware this firm has been in business for a considerable number of years. At present there is a third generation of workers employed there. The dismissal notice given to these workers was very short. It left them with very little opportunity to obtain alternative employment. Many of them were advanced in years and this made it more difficult for them to find new employment. Because Gentex in Athlone closed down also, employment in this area is scarce. The workers should have had much longer notice of dismissal. There should have been much more consultation with the union and with the workers involved prior to the decision.
My second reason for moving this motion is the amount of public money that has been invested in this industry. I do not know the exact amount that was given by the Government by way of grants to this firm. Perhaps the Minister would let us know how much money was paid in grants to this firm in the last five years? Perhaps the Minister would also tell us for what reasons this money was given, for what part of the industry, and whether, in fact, all the money granted to this firm was to be used solely in the firm of Goodbody in Clara. This is important. The people of Clara are anxious to know that any Government money that was granted to this firm for Clara was in fact utilised in the Clara firm. A union official and people in the area are of the opinion that £150,000 by way of grants was given to this firm. If this sum was given in the last five years and the firm declared approximately 250 workers redundant within such a short space of time there certainly should be a Government inquiry. Dáil Eireann, the relevant Departments and the people of Ireland are entitled to know just where the money went. I cannot prove this figure but the Minister will have this information. I would like if he were in a position to give this information to the House this evening. I understand that some of this money has gone to the polypropylene section of this industry in Clara and I am pleased that this particular section. Which makes plastics, is working efficiently and at full capacity. I do not know what amount of the grants allocated to this firm went to polypropylene. I and many other people would like to know just what amount of this money went to this section of the industry in Clara.
A consultant's report has been commissioned privately by the firm in Clara and they have not, as far as I am aware, furnished a copy of the findings to the unions involved. I believe the Minister received a copy of this report but that it was given to him privately and he is not in a position to divulge its contents. The contents of this report would be of interest to all of us. If public money has been allocated to this firm, this report should be made available to the Minister for Industry and Commerce, to the public at large and to the workers in the industry. This is something anybody would expect. The findings of this report should be made public. If this report had been furnished to the unions they might have been in a position at that stage to have discussions with the employers. The unions and the employers could have got together and discussed this report and the unions with the help of the employers might have been in a position to save more jobs in this industry. This would have been desirable but I am sorry to say that the unions' request for the report was refused. Indeed I understand the report was given to the Minister at very short notice.
If an inquiry is carried out as outlined in this motion one of the beneficial results would be to ensure that the Department of Industry and Commerce would have an opportunity of finding out exactly what was contained in the report. The Department would have an opportunity of studying the workings of the industry. The industry would benefit from an examination by the Department. The workers in Clara would know that the maximum number of jobs in this important industry in Clara was being kept open. They have heard that 250 to 300 workers will be kept on. A proper study could be made with particular reference to the fate of the employees. The employers and management would benefit from the expert guidance of the Department of Industry and Commerce.
A second reason for believing that an inquiry would be important is that the jute industry is closely allied with the worsted material and textile industry. The Minister, my two colleagues on the far side of the House, Deputy O.J. Flanagan and I represent a constituency which is involved in the jute and worsted industry. This industry is of the utmost importance to the five of us, to the people in Laois-Offaly and to those in the surrounding counties. One section of the employees of Salts of Tullamore are on short-time at present.
