asked the Minister for Finance if a considerable sum of money came into the hands of the Exchequer of the Free State as a result of the seizure of certain cargoes of butter in the year 1922, which butter was manufactured in the creameries of the Condensed Milk Company of Ireland, and which creameries were at that time in the hands of the workers who had illegally seized them; if he will state the total amount which came into the Exchequer from this source, and whether he will say how this sum was disposed of, and if consideration was given to this aspect of the matter when the recent purchase of the Condensed Milk Company of Ireland took place, and if due allowance was made in the negotiations for this money, if he has considered the claims of the suppliers whose milk was used for the manufacture of the butter in question, and whether he will take steps to see that the money in question or a similar sum is provided and used for the purpose of paying the suppliers in part for the milk supplied.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - SEIZURE OF BUTTER.
I have received sums amounting to £6,542 10s. 7d., which have been paid into the Exchequer by way of offset against compensation paid from public funds under the Damage to Property (Compensation) Acts, 1923-26. The answer to the third part of the question is in the negative. With regard to the last part, I have received representations on behalf of farmers who supplied milk to the Creameries of the Condensed Milk Company while the latter were illegally held by the workers, but I cannot agree to make provision for payment to them in respect of the milk supplied.
Can the Minister say how it is equitable to keep the money received for the farmers' milk and apply it to property losses compensation?
Our position is that they ought not to have supplied the milk.
That does not give the Government the right to take the property.
It had become the property of the Soviet and we seized it.
But the property remains in the owner, no matter who holds it until he is paid for it — it does not go to the State.