asked the Minister for Finance whether any information was conveyed officially by his Department to any firm, before the introduction of the Budget, regarding a possible increase of Customs duty on refrigerating apparatus.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Duty on Refrigerating Apparatus.
The answer is in the negative.
Mr. Burke
Arising out of the answer, given by the Minister, might I ask if he is aware that on the day before the introduction of the Budget, information was supplied to the Empire Services, Ltd., London, which was conveyed to the editors of certain Irish newspapers that a substantial increase in the duties on certain component parts of refrigerators was to be made by the Budget, but under a promise that this information would not be published until the Budget had been introduced by the Minister? I am sure the Minister is aware that this has been circulated widely.
If the Deputy will put down on the Order Paper the question which he is now trying to ask, I will answer it.
Is the Minister aware that this has got a good deal of publicity in the country? Is he also aware that a letter was received to the following effect:—
"The attached interview with"— I will not mention names—"who is managing director of Messrs. so-and-so, Dublin, and president of a certain club, is sent to you to be held until after the publication of the Budget to-morrow, Tuesday. You will probably find that duties on certain components of refrigerators are substantially increased by the Budget."
Is the Minister aware that that statement appeared in one of the newspapers published in Saorstát Eireann?
If the Deputy wants an answer to that question, the Order Paper is available to him.
Arising out of the Minister's answer——
I submit that the question asked by Deputy Burke has not been satisfactorily answered, at least not to the satisfaction of the general public, not to talk of the proprietors of newspapers.
Mr. Burke
In view of the very unsatisfactory answer given by the Minister, I desire to give notice that, with the permission of the Chair, I will raise this matter on the adjournment this evening.