asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will furnish particulars of the "invisible" exports per annum under the following headings:—(1) ground rents paid to absentee landlords; (2) insurances; (3) dividends from outside capital invested in activities in the Irish Free State and (4) moneys spent by Irish Free State nationals in holidays, etc., spent outside the Irish Free State.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Invisible Exports.
Particulars are not available for any of the headings separately. It has been estimated that in the year 1933 the income of residents outside Saorstát Eireann from property situated and profits arising in Saorstát Eireann was £5,200,000.
Would that be under all the heads referred to.
Oh, no.
Under which head?
I have informed the Deputy that the information is not available under any head separately.
In view of the present financial condition of the country, am I to understand that the Minister has no machinery by which he could compute these figures, because they are very important?
Their importance is fully realised.
Has the Minister no machinery at all by which they can be computed?
Obviously, only estimates can be made at best.
Can the Minister make these estimates?
We are not prepared to do it.
It is not a case of inability; it is unwillingness to do it?