On a point of personal explanation, I desire to say that Deputy Professor Thrift, having had access to the Official Report of yesterday's proceedings, which, so far as I know, has not yet been circulated to Deputies, made a personal statement after Question Time to-day in which he dealt with supplementary questions that I addressed arising out of Question 22 to the Minister for Lands and Fisheries. I addressed that question to the Minister after I had been informed, after I had reason to believe, and also after I believed that certain undue influence had been exercised in regard to the acquisition of certain lands. After I had been informed on two occasions by letter that those lands were about to be acquired for the relief of congestion, and after a confirming statement was made by the Minister here, I asked a supplementary question in which I alleged that undue influence had been exercised by one of the representatives of Trinity College. Deputy Professor Thrift knows very well, from what I said to him afterwards in the Lobby, that he was not the Deputy referred to.
In Committee on Finance. - Deputy's Explanation
He did not know at that time you made the statement.
The whole point is not about the Land Commission, but whether the statement was made about the Deputy in question.
Deputies Professor Thrift, Sir James Craig and Professor Alton have denied in this House that they have interfered in any way in this particular case, and as I have a certain standard of honour, inside and outside this House, I feel obliged to accept their word, and I do accept it.
The Dáil adjourned at 10.35 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Friday, 19th April.