REPORTS AND MINISTERIAL MOTIONS. - DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE.
THE SECRETARY FOR FINANCE read his Report, and moved its adoption.
THE ACTING-PRESIDENT seconded the motion.
P. O MAILLE (Connemara) suggested that the manufacture of poteen should be brought under the supervision of the Government, and that a tax should be imposed upon its manufacture rather than that the stills should be broken up. The Government should also be authorised to impose a quality test.
T. MACSUIBHNE (Cork Mid) raised the question of licences generally. People had applied to him for auctioneers' licences and offered to pay the tax on them to the Republican Exchequer.
J.J. WALSH (Cork City) asked the reason for the non-payment of a grant of approximately £150 to the Belfast Comhairle Ceanntair in connection with the expenses of the General Election.
SEAN MAC AN TSAOI (Monaghan South) said that there was now a greater need than ever for establishing a Branch of the Agricultural Loan Bank in one of the Ulster Border Counties.
The FINANCE MINISTER, replying to the different queries, stated that he would not recommend that they take money for licences in individual cases. Arrangements would have to be made to deal with the question generally. The issue of auctioneers' licences was under consideration.
With regard to the payment of the Belfast Election Expenses the position was that at the October Session a sum of £1,300 was voted to defray outstanding expenses in connection with the General Election. This money was voted at the request of the Standing Committee of Sinn Fein, and on the understanding that the money would only be employed to pay such accounts as were authenticated by the Election Committee. If the authentication were forthcoming in this case there would be no difficulty in paying the amount due.
No Branches of the Bank had yet been established. It was necessary to begin in localities where there was a likelihood of large deposits being secured.
SEAN MAC AN TSAOI (Monaghan South) said that the advance to the Belfast Comhairle Ceanntair should be paid.
L.T. MACCOSGAIR (Kilkenny North) stated that certain items of the account submitted were not connected with the business of the General Election at all, and that the account could not therefore be certified.
The ACTING-PRESIDENT said that this matter was out of order. It was a question for the Sinn Fein Executive. All the Election Expenses' Accounts had been paid, and the matter closed for some time before this account came in. It appeared that those who had sent it learned that there was money available for the paying of debts in Belfast.
The Report of the Finance Department was then put and adopted.