asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been directed to comments of the Public Accounts Committee relating to purchase by the Board of Works of Laurencetown R.I.C. Barracks, County Galway, for the sum of £500, and subsequent resale at £60; if he will state the name of the owner from whom the barracks were purchased, the date on which purchase negotiations commenced, the stage purchase negotiations had reached on 9th March, 1932, and if it was legally possible to have purchase proceedings dropped subsequent to that date.
Ceisteanna.—Questions. Oral Answers. - Purchase of Galway Barracks.
My attention has been directed to this matter. A binding contract to purchase was made with the Very Reverend P.J. Nagle, P.P., on the 18th February, 1932, negotiations having been commenced in July, 1930. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.
The full details are set out in the Report of the Public Accounts Committee on the Appropriation Accounts for 1938-39.
Do these details comprise the statement that, in February, 1936, the board was warned that this property was falling into disrepair, that nothing was done about that until August, 1937, and that it was their failure to take requisite measures to protect the property in that period that involved the Government in the loss which it has sustained?