Vol. 274 No. 9
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is aware that the dumping of cheap furniture on the Irish market is having a detrimental effect on the Irish furniture industry and that many people have been laid off work or are on shorttime working as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
45.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if, in view of the difficulties being faced by the furniture industry in this country, he will grant concessions to this industry to stimulate sales.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 44 and 45 together. The information available to me does not support the suggestion that there is dumping of cheap furniture here.
I am aware that imports of certain types of furniture are increasing but there is nothing to suggest that this trend is due to anything other than normal commercial competition. If any person has evidence of dumping he should take the matter up with An Coimisiún Dumpála or with the EEC Commission. No complaints have been made to An Coimisiún Dumpála and I am not aware that any have been lodged in Brussels.
While I am considering representations which have been made to me about the difficulties facing the industry I think I should say that it does not appear, having regard to our international obligations, that it is open to me to take action on the lines which have been proposed.
In view of the fact that 30 people have been laid off in the past month and others are on short time, would he not consider that a serious situation for the furniture industry in Navan?
I certainly agree that there is a situation in the furniture industry in Navan which warrants its being continuously monitored, and it is being so monitored by my Department. However, the point I was making is that, first, while there is very intense competition from the much larger volume producers in the United Kingdom, in so far as we have been able to ascertain it does not constitute dumping. We may have opinions whether it is getting very close to sharp commercial practice, but it does not constitute dumping, and I do not have the power to take such actions as have been suggested to me. We are continuously monitoring the situation in regard to the furniture industry in Navan which certainly is going through a difficult time.
Is the Minister aware that some English firms are actually quoting this year a lower price than that for which Irish firms got contracts last year here in the city?
I was not so aware, but I would not be surprised if that were so. There is a time of great intensification of competition in the British market and of course the volume of production and the economies open to the very large-scale British producers are much greater than those available to our producers. This is one of the difficulties of the on-going free trade situation.
Would the Minister not consider that selling at a price which was lower than that quoted last year constitutes dumping?
That seems to be a repeat of the last question.
It is not, in fact, dumping as it is defined either by the commission or by existing legislation.
I wish to raise the matter on the Adjournment.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
Would the Minister agree that this is a rather sensitive industry subject even to changing trends in the international market and that design plays a very important part in it? Would he look at the need for giving every possible technical assistance and advice from the design point of view? The Irish furniture industry, as the Minister must be aware, is doing an excellent job, and a good many skilled operatives could be lost if something is not done?
I entirely agree with the sense of the Deputy's question and my own interest, for example, in the design service of KDW is known. I had the pleasure of a very thorough look at the furniture fair in the RDS this year. I was impressed—I shall not name a name—by one particular grouping which the Deputy is aware of, a number of companies who have drawn together for marketing, purchasing and defensive reasons, and whose design is of an extremely high standard on any terms in the world. I am completely satisfied that in an on-going free trade situation it is by design and quality that our producers, who are relatively smallscale, can survive. Any amalgamations, cooperations or groupings of a defensive kind that they can form—I have mentioned one—are absolutely necessary in a very difficult free trade situation.
