asked the Minister for Finance if he will state the reason for the delay in repayment of Dáil Loan, 1919-1920, to subscribers in Donoughmore district, County Cork, and when he will be able to repay these subscribers.
Ceisteanna.—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dáil Eireann Loan.
No particulars of the great majority of the subscriptions to the Dáil Eireann (Internal) Loan, 1919-1920, in Donoughmore District, Co. Cork, were furnished to the Dáil Department of Finance during the period in which the Loan was raised and, in consequence, the names of the subscribers concerned were not entered in the Primary Register.
Lists of subscribers from the Strike Chapel portion of this area have been received in my Department from two different sources. The lists are not in agreement with one another and, in addition, there are discrepancies between the particulars contained in the lists and those in individual applications for repayment which have been received from this district.
My Department is pursuing investigations with a view to clearing up the discrepancies referred to, and until these have been explained in a satisfactory manner it will not be possible to take steps with a view to authorising repayment to the subscribers concerned.
I may add that a considerable number of subscribers in the Firmount portion of the Donoughmore district whose names were recently added to the Register of Subscribers have been repaid.
Can the Minister state what steps his Department has taken to get this matter cleared up? It is over eighteen months since the original notebook containing the list was handed in to his Department. Surely there has been sufficient time to have the matter cleared up since?
I wonder would it be in order to ask Deputy Corry a question. There was a book which contained some particulars which I believe Deputy Corry got charge of. I do not know whether he lost it, or whether he is simply refraining from handing it in.
The book was lodged in the Minister's Department eighteen months ago by me.
I cannot find any trace of it.
And was returned to the man who sent it on from Donoughmore —the man who gave it to me. That is eighteen months ago. As the Minister has managed to give £400,000 to the Unionists within six months, surely he should be able to pay back these unfortunate people after eleven years.