Committee Reports > List of Committees > Dáil > 1950 > Committee of Public Accounts > Interim and Final Report - Appropriation Accounts 1947 - 1948

APPENDIX XXIII.

INDUSTRIES OPERATED BY GAELTACHT SERVICES

At the proceedings of the Committee of Public Accounts on the 8th February 1950, I undertook to give fuller information about the industries operated by the Gaeltacht Services Division of the Department of Lands.

RURAL INDUSTRIES

(1) Handwoven Tweeds are manufactured in the Kilcar, Glencolumbkill and Ardara areas in South Donegal by weavers working on hand-looms in their own homes from mill-spun yarns supplied by the Department from its Kilcar factory, where the yarns required by the industry are now to a large extent spun and dyed and where the tweed on completion is now being finished without resort to outside finishers.

Rugmaking is to a small extent carried out on a few rug-looms which are operated by girls in their own homes in the Glencolumbkill district.

The number of weavers engaged on the making of tweed varies from time to time according to the requirements of the market. In the year 1947/48 101 tweed weavers and five rug-weavers were registered with the Department, and 39 workers were employed in the Kilcar factory. The wages paid amounted to £13,792, the sales being almost exclusively in the Irish market. Efforts have been made to develop foreign markets, and in 1949, encouraging results were attained. Agents have been appointed for many countries. In the year 1948/49 the home market declined, but there are indications that the market is gradually improving.

(2) Homespuns: Gaeltarra Eireann, the marketing depot of the Department, was the Central Marketing Organisation for the products of this industry under the Emergency Powers (Homespun) Order, 1943, made by the Minister for Industry and Commerce. This Order was revoked in November, 1948. The homespuns are produced in Co. Donegal by people working in their own homes. During the operation of the Order, Gaeltarra Eireann bought the material from the producers and sold to the trade. There was a ready market during and for some time after the end of the war, but the demand declined in 1947, and the purchase of the material from the producers had eventually to be discontinued. Every effort has been, and is being made to dispose of stocks left on hands, but the demand is very slight. In the year 1947/48, £32,311 was paid for homespuns, and £836 was paid during the year to casual labour in connection with the purchase of the material.

(3) Knitwear: In 1947/48 this was produced at Arranmore, Belcruit, Bruckless, Bunbeg, Carrick, Falcarragh, Glencolumbkill, Kilcar, Magheraroarty, Rannafast and Teelin in County Donegal; at Bangor Erris, Belmullet, Carrowteigue, Derrypark, Gweesala, Muings and Poulathomas in County Mayo; at Ballinahown, Carna, Carraroe, Gorumna, Inishboffin, Inisheer, Inishmaan, Inishmore, Kilkerrin, Lettermore, Rosmuc and Roundstone in County Galway, and at Cape Clear in County Cork, and approximately 370 girl-workers were employed indoor and 690 outdoor in their own homes. In the year 1947/48, £43,632 was paid in wages to these workers. Knitwear is still being produced in most of these centres. The centres at Arranmore, Belcruit, Inishmore and Cape Clear have been closed because workers were not available, but new centres have been opened on Clare Island and Tourmakeady, Co. Mayo. The demand for the products is good, particularly for knitwear made on flat machines worked by hand, and expansion is limited only by the number and quality of the workers available.

Leather glove manufacture was first started in 1944 in Roundstone, County Galway, and was later transferred to Clifden, where electric power was available for finishing. In the year 1947/48, £425 was paid in wages to a small number of part-time workers. The progress of the industry was not satisfactory, and it has been discontinued.

(4) Embroidery is produced at Bruckless, County Donegal, and Cliffoney, County Sligo. The most of the work is carried out by approximately 300 outdoor girl-workers in their own homes. In 1947/48, £8,328 was paid in wages to the workers in the industry. Efforts have been made to develop a foreign market, and the foreign sales in 1949 have been encouraging.

(5) Toys are manufactured in two centres—at Crolly, County Donegal, and Elly Bay, County Mayo. Approximately 140 workers are employed in the two factories. In 1947/48, £10,830 was paid in wages. Over 50 per cent. of the sales were to foreign customers, mainly in England. Prospects continue to be good. Efforts are now being made to obviate the importation of body parts for dolls. For this purpose a factory has been started at Cashla, County Galway, with the intention of transferring later to larger premises at Spiddal, County Galway.

(6) Leaden Models were manufactured in association with an American firm at Casla, County Galway, where production started in January, 1947. Employment was given during the year 1947/48 to 225 persons, and wages paid amounted to £10,588. In the course of time it was found that the market was not such as would allow the proper development of the industry, and, eventually when the number of workers had fallen to forty it was decided that the industry could not be continued.

MARINE PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES

The Kelp Industry, which was revived during the war because of the shortage of fertilisers, came to an abrupt end as soon as artificial fertilisers became available again. The continuation of the industry for other purposes would not be practicable, as there would seem to be no markets available at anything approaching an economic price.

The Sea-rod Industry, which was started in 1943, is being developed so far as possible by the Department, and the prospects are now very encouraging. During the year 1947/48, the industry was carried on at Fanad, Malin Head, Magheraroarty, Bloody Foreland, Meenaclady, Maghery, Glencolumbkill, Inishboffin and Tory Island in County Donegal; at Pullaheeney (extending from Enniscrone to Dromore West) and Mullaghmore (extending from Rosses Point to Tuallaghan) in County Sligo; at Roonagh, Elly Bay, and Ballycastle in County Mayo; at Renvyle, Bunowen, Claddaghduff, Carna, Lettermullen and the Aran Islands in County Galway; and at Quilty, Doonbeg and Liscannor in County Clare. Those engaged in the industry gathered 2,683 tons of air-dried rods, and received £9,124 for them. Other areas have since been, and are being, opened up, and the price per ton has been increased from £3 10s. to £4 10s. In the current season it is thought that £16,000 will be paid for rods.

The Sea Frond Industry was carried on in 1947/48 at Annaghvane, Kilkerrin Bay and Bunowen in County Galway, and at Islandroy and Burtonport in County Donegal. A total of £6,750 was paid to the gatherers for 3,604 tons of Bladder (Ascophyllum) weed. The demand for Ascophyllum has been interrupted owing to processing and other difficulties, and it is not yet known what prospect there may be for the industry.

The Carrageen Industry formerly operated by the Department involved only the packaging of Carrageen sorted and selected as suitable for food purposes. The industry was abandoned some years ago as the market was being amply supplied by private enterprise. At its best the amount of employment afforded was not more than casual for a dozen or two workers during a period of roughly three months each year. Over 90 per cent. of the total crop of carrageen in Ireland is exported to Great Britain for Industrial purposes, the average figure over the last ten years being 350/400 tons.