asked the Minister for Supplies what are the arrangements for brokerage on the freights chartered from Irish Shipping, Ltd., and who manages or acts as agents for these ships and for the freights furnished by them.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Brokerage on Shipping Freights.
The points on which the Deputy asks for information are matters of administration for which the Board of Irish Shipping, Ltd., is responsible. As I stated in reply to a question by Deputy Hickey on October 29th, I am not prepared to answer Parliamentary questions about such matters.
Is there any means of discovering how the millions of money that this House has voted for Irish Shipping, Ltd. are being used, or is it infra dig. for Deputies of this House, who have voted public money, to inquire what has become of it?
This House did not vote millions of money for Irish Shipping, Ltd.
I want to know who is getting the commission on the freight rates of these ships. Is it the directors of Irish Shipping, Ltd.? There is nothing shameful about it, since they are all connected with shipping, but are these the persons, or is it persons amongst them, who are arranging for brokerage on the freights of these ships? Who is broking these ships?
Nobody.
Are there no commissions?
No.
In connection with brokerage or anything else?
No.
That is not my information.
Well, the Deputy's information is wrong.
How can I know whether my information is right or wrong when the Minister will not give me the information?
No commission on freights or brokerage on freights is being paid by Irish Shipping, Ltd.
I am not asking whether they are paid by Irish Shipping, Ltd. I am asking whether they are paid by anybody.
There is no brokerage on the freights.
But somebody is receiving commissions on brokerage? Who are their agents?
Nobody is. They are their own agents.
Are there not some gentlemen managing the ships?
There are shipping companies managing the ships.
Of Irish Shipping, Ltd.?
Yes.
Do they receive the commissions?
There are no commissions.
Do they receive any reward for the management of the ships?
They certainly do.
"They certainly do." Now we have got it at last.
The Deputy's question relates to brokerage on freights. There is no brokerage on freights and no commissions are paid.
Am I to understand that there is no shipping agent employed by the shipping board?
There are no shipping agents employed at present.