The Orders which the Bill confirms relate to five commodities which are in common use. These commodities are drinking glasses, peas, collapsible metal containers for packing tooth paste and similar items, vegetable oils and fats used to a large extent in the manufacture of margarine and paints, and distilled water which is used for medicinal purposes in dissolving drugs such as penicillin, morphia and streptomycin. All the industries which the Bill is designed to protect provide substantial employment in areas outside Dublin.
Senators, I am sure, will welcome the re-establishment of a glass industry at Waterford. The factory there is at present producing soda glassware and is engaged in cutting operations. The concern has an ambitious long-term programme which we confidently hope will be realised.
The duty on peas is in substitution for the previous duty of a halfpenny per pound which applied to peas imported from countries other than Britain and Canada. Quantitative control of imports of peas was discontinued with the coming into operation of the new duty.
The manufacture of collapsible metal containers of the "squeeze-out" variety has been carried on at Nenagh for some considerable time. This industry was originally protected by a duty on tin containers, and prior to the last war "squeeze-out" tubes were made largely of tin. During the recent war, for reasons of supply and economy, tin-coated lead and alloys began to be used in the making of collapsible tubes and accordingly, when it was decided to restore protection for the Nenagh factory, it was also decided to extend the tariff to all metal containers of the collapsible type.
Vegetable oils and fats are the raw materials for two important industries —margarine and paint manufacture. The country is, of course, dependent on external sources of supply for the raw materials used in the production of vegetable oils and fats.
The production and packing of distilled water for medicinal use is a new departure in this country. Senators are aware, I am sure, of the extent to which the country is dependent on external sources of supply for medicinal preparations, and they will welcome any enterprise which can make an efficient inroad on these imports.
We are living in times when circumstances change rapidly and in the short time since some of these Orders were made world conditions have altered appreciably. The extent to which the industries I have mentioned depend on imported raw materials varies but all of them increase the strength of the country's economy, particularly in times of stress. As Senators know, there already exists under the Supplies and Services (Temporary Provisions) Act power to reduce or suspend tariffs and the enactment of this Bill will not limit any action which it may be necessary to take in regard to supplies generally.
