Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 5 Jul 1990

Vol. 401 No. 2

Written Answers. - Bakery Industry.

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

54 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the total number of persons employed in the banking industry with particular reference to the bread sector on 1 June for each year from 1986 to date; if the figures show a reduction in employment in this area; if he will outline the cause of such a reduction; the action, if any, he intends to take to avert the trend; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

55 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the total number of independent firms operating bakeries in the country at present; if this figure shows an increase or decrease over previous years; if a trend can be established from the data available; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. O'Kennedy)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 54 and 55 together.

Employment in the bakery sector has fallen from 7,339 in 1986 to 4,726 by mid 1989. As many of the bakeries closed in that period had mixed bread and confectionery business it is not possible to indicate how many jobs were solely bread-related.

The number of bakeries operating in that period has declined from 275 to 253. Over half of these would be classified as small with less than 10 employees.

Because of concern over employment in the bakery industry, I decided along with the Minister for Industry and Commerce to ask the sectoral development committee to examine and make recommendations to the Government on the future of the bakery sector in Ireland.

The committee's report will be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas and published shortly.