asked the Minister for Local Government if he sent a circular circa 14th November to each city, county and assistant manager advocating the use of Irish materials and appliances in housing schemes; and if this circular could be taken by the recipients as suggesting preferential ministerial treatment for some Irish industrialists as against others.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Use of Irish Materials.
100.
The answer to the first part of the question is "yes" and to the second part is "no". The circular letter should be taken as an appeal for the co-operation of the recipients in taking whatever action they can to obviate threatened unemployment in Irish firms generally in the construction industry. The only reference to specific firms in the letter was the information that urgent representations had been made to me by named firms.
Is the Minister conceding there is a threat to employment in the building industry?
No, but if the steps which I suggested should be taken are not taken there could in a few years' time be a threat to the entire building industry as a result of what is happening.
Does the Minister say there is not a threat at present?
No.
That is great. It is lovely to get that on the record again, on the 12th December, 1974.
Look up the 30th October, 1973, and see what the Deputy says.
The people are laughing at the Minister.
They laughed the other side last year.
The men out of work are not laughing.
Is the Minister putting it on the record of this House that there is no unemployment in the building industry?
That is a separate matter. Question No. 101.
No housebuilding is taking place in Cork.
I do not think anybody takes the Minister seriously any more.
Since Cork has been mentioned the facts are that there is a scarcity of tradesmen in Cork.
Is the Minister putting that on record? Would the Minister come down to Cork and I shall take him around the building sites where he has not been since he became a Minister? I will show him the unemployment that exists. The Minister fell away from the workers.
I know more about building than the whole lot of them over there. They never did a day on a building site.
That is why the Minister only barely made it on the last occasion. They will remember it for him.
We know one builder who will not suffer unemployment.
(Interruptions.)
I am sorry to interrupt but Deputy Molloy is making allegations, grumbling in his beard. Will he please go outside the House and make a statement to the Press about what he is saying? I am appealing to him to do that if he can prove something——
I have the facts and I will chose the time and the place.
Is there anything wrong in saying it in here where we can all hear it?
No, he is saying it here because of the fact that he is protected here by law. It is privileged.
I have the facts and I will choose the time and the place.
The Minister was not interested in going outside with the many allegations he made over the years.
I never made an allegation in this House——
(Interruptions.)
The record is full of them.
I will not allow Deputy Molloy to make an allegation here. I am challenging him now to go outside and make his allegation in public so that I can deal with it.
(Interruptions.)
I am asking him to put up or shut up.
I thought we had ended this matter. Question No. 101 please.
We have the Minister on the run now.
I am telling Deputy Molloy to put up or shut up. He is judging me by his standards and that is a bad thing to do.
Question No. 101.
(Interruptions.)