asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism the position regarding the campaign to encourage people to buy Irish foods and goods in Ireland and the amount expended in 1979 on this campaign.
Written Answers. - “Buy Irish” Campaign.
34.
The first two years of the three year programme for the promotion of Irish goods have just ended. The programme, which is being carried out by the Irish Goods Council, concentrated in the first year on directing the attention of the Irish consumer to the importance to the economy of buying Irish goods. Surveys conducted on behalf of the council indicated that their activities to this had met with considerable success.
In the second year of the programme the council concentrated on the retail trade to ensure that purchasers would always have the opportunity to purchase Irish. In both years the Irish Goods Council engaged in promotions with retailers to encourage the sale of Irish grocery products and other Irish-made products and these promotions will continue.
The final phase of the programme, which is just commencing, will concentrate on the manufacturers while still maintaining the momentum generated in the first two years in regard to consumers and retailers. Total expenditure by the Irish Goods Council in 1979 amounted to £877,000.