asked the Minister for Finance if he will state whether any licences authorising the importation of any article or commodity the importation of which is prohibited save under licence have been issued from the 1st April last up to the 15th October, 1932, and, if so, if he will state in each case (a) the name of the licensee; (b) the name of the article or commodity; (c) the conditions governing the issue of the licence, and (d) the quantity and value of the article or commodity imported since the issue of the licence.
Ceisteanna—Questions Oral Answers. - Import Licences.
The only new article coming under the description of "articles the importation of which is prohibited save under licence" is cheese, the importation of which is prohibited under the Dairy Produce (Price Stabilisation) Act, 1932, save under licence issued by the Minister for Agriculture. I am informed by the Minister for Agriculture that the number of licences of this sort issued up to the 15th ultimo by him was 233, and the quantity of cheese covered by these licences was 5,621 cwts. The value of the cheese is not known to the Department of Agriculture. The rule has been to grant licences only to persons or firms who have been regular cheese importers in the past, and for quantities not greater than their imports during the corresponding period last year. According as Saorstát-made supplies come to the market the quantities for which licences to import will be issued will be reduced.
It is presumed that the Deputy is not interested in commodities prohibited by Statutes which have existed for some time, such as explosives, firearms and dangerous drugs. I have no informations about such importations, but if the Deputy desires to obtain information on these importations also I would suggest that he should set down a question for answer by the Minister for Justice.