To ask the Minister for Finance whether his attention has been drawn to the report signed by one P.J. McAndrew, Consulting Engineer, Dublin, "on the result of his negotiations with financial groups for the development of Irish industries, to the Ministers of the Irish Free State," and whether the said P.J. McAndrew had any authority from the Ministers "to negotiate with leading financial firms of London, Canada and America with a view to securing their financial support for the development of our country's resources," and if not, whether the Minister for Finance intends to take any action in the matter.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. - DEVELOPMENT OF COUNTRY'S RESOURCES.
I have been asked to answer this:—"I have no knowledge of the report referred to, and no authority has been given to Mr. McAndrew to conduct negotiations on behalf of the Government. The establishment of order is an essential preliminary to any development of the country's resources, and every effort is being made in this direction. As soon as order is established the Government will, of course, consider favourably any further forms of State action by which development is likely to be assisted. There is reason to believe that the opportunity which will be afforded for development by an early restoration of order will be widely utilised, and that Government intervention in the precise form contemplated in the question would be unnecessary."
I think there has been some misunderstanding. What I desire to know is, whether the Government has authorised this adventurer to use the name of the Free State Provisional Government as having given him authority to do this work?
The answer states:—I have no knowledge of the report referred to, and no authority has been given to Mr. McAndrew to conduct negotiations on behalf of the Government."
That is exactly what I wanted to make explicit.