asked the Minister for Finance if he will state what amount of money has been expended on export bounties and subsidies in (a) the financial year 1932-33, and (b) in the present financial year to the latest date for which figures are available; and to say if these payments have been made in accordance with any scheme sanctioned by him or at such rates and subject to such other conditions as have been approved by him; and, if so, if he will indicate where information and details of such scheme, rates and conditions may be found.
Ceisteanna.—Questions. Oral Answers. - Export Bounties and Subsidies.
The amounts paid out of voted moneys on export bounties and subsidies during the financial year 1932-33 and in the present financial year to the 31st October were £1,060,830 and £1,264,786, respectively. In the period between 1st April and 14th July, 1933, before the Vote for export bounties and subsidies was available, export bounties and subsidies to the extent of £471,170 were paid out of the Emergency Fund. A large proportion of this amount represents payment of claims in respect of commodities exported in the financial year 1932-33 which did not mature for payment until the current financial year. In addition, during the first two periods mentioned sums of £296,171 and £831,089 were paid out respectively in bounties on butter, etc., out of the levies collected under the Dairy Produce (Price Stabilisation) Act, 1932. The payments out of voted moneys for export bounties and subsidies have been made in all cases in accordance with schemes sanctioned by me as Minister for Finance. Full information and details of the schemes and the rates and conditions may be obtained from the Department of Agriculture in respect of agricultural bounties and from the Department of Industry and Commerce in respect of industrial bounties. The payments out of the levies collected under the Dairy Produce (Price Stabilisation) Act, 1932, are made under the provisions of the Act.
Is the Minister aware that in the sworn testimony of an officer of the Department of Agriculture it was stated that there was no code of regulations or rules to govern the allocation of bounties on exports of agricultural produce?
I am not so aware.
Would the Minister mind stating whether the bounties were paid out before the schemes were approved by him under the Vote?
That is another question.
It is not. That is not an answer to the question.
If the Deputy wants to ascertain that he can put down another question.
Surely the Department which reviews what knowledge of Irish, officers have, or how much drink they take, reviews how many oaths they swear.
May I ask the Minister if his attention has been directed to the official record of the evidence given by an officer of his Department or an officer of the Department of Agriculture recently in a criminal trial, and if he has any information that the evidence given was contrary to the facts?
That evidence is at present under examination in the Departments concerned, and I am not in a position to make any further statement on the matter.
Will the Minister undertake to inform the House at an early date if the state of affairs represented by that evidence is in fact accurate and true?
I am not certain that the House wishes to be so informed.
I can assure the Minister that this part of the House is extremely anxious to be so informed, and earnestly trusts that that evidence is not a true or accurate statement of what the state of affairs actually is.
That part of the House is a comparatively unimportant element in this community.
It is extremely solicitous for the somewhat precarious reputations of the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Agriculture.
Do we understand that the members of the Minister's Party who complain from time to time that farmers are not getting the value of these bounties are not interested in the state of affairs that was shown up in that evidence?
Would the Minister state the date upon which he arranged that scheme? That, I presume, is information he has at his disposal now as he has answered a question on the paper.
That is a matter upon which again I should require notice.