To ask the Minister for Finance if he is aware of the large amount of unemployment existing in the printing trade in Cork, and if he is prepared to allocate a share of Government printing to that city.

There are running contracts for most of the printing required for the Stationery Office. Special tenders are invited from a large number of firms, including those in Cork, for work not provided for in these contracts. During the past few months difficulty has been experienced, owing to impaired communication, in asking firms in Cork to quote. Two large Cork firms hold contracts for the printing of the Electors Lists and Registers for the County and Borough of Cork. I understand that there is much unemployment in the printing trade throughout southern Ireland generally. Every opportunity will be given to printing firms in Cork to tender.