asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if his attention has been directed to the auditor's report on the accounts of the County Cavan Committee of Agriculture for the period ended on the 30th September, 1929, in which the auditor stated that the charges for advertisements of local authorities in provincial newspapers exceeded those charged to ordinary traders, and that this was the result of an agreed policy of the newspaper proprietors; whether the statements referred to above were made in pursuance of instructions to the auditor by the Department of Local Government and Public Health; whether similar comments have appeared in reports made by auditors on account of other counties; and whether similar advertisements inserted in newspapers other than provincial newspapers are charged for at rates similar to those charged to ordinary traders; further, if he will state the date on which the auditor in question was appointed a Local Government auditor; what were his qualifications for the position, and by whom he was employed prior to his appointment.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Local Authorities' Advertisements—Provincial Newspaper Charges.
I have seen the auditor's report referred to by the Deputy. The Department did not direct the attention of the auditor to the question of advertising charges. It does not interfere with auditors in any way as to the contents of their reports. Comments have been made by other auditors on the disparity between prices charged to different local authorities in the same county in respect of the same, or somewhat similar, kind of advertisement. The auditor was appointed on the 19th March, 1928, by the Civil Service Commission. Prior to his appointment as auditor he was a civil servant.