asked the Minister for Supplies if his attention has been called to an article entitled "The Just Profit Rate" in the Irish Ecclesiastical Record of November, 1941, where reference was made to a company registered in this country and favoured by protective tariffs which declared a dividend of 15 per cent. and a capital bonus of 25 per cent. in 1934; 15 per cent. dividend and 16.2/3 per cent. capital bonus in 1935; 15 per cent. dividend and 12½ per cent. capital bonus in 1936, and 15 per cent. dividend in 1937; and which has now arrived at the point where its ordinary capital of £30,000 has been watered to £100,000; if he can state the name of this company and its type of business, and whether at any time the prices charged for its goods were observed, inquired into or reported upon by any of his officers or by any of the staff of the Prices Commission or by the Prices Controller.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Company's Dividends.
From the information supplied by the Department I believe I can identify the company to which the article relates, although the amount of the original capital of the company I have in mind differs from the figure mentioned in the question. I do not propose to state the name of the company to which I think the article refers. I should say, however, that if I am correct as to the company concerned, the total assets far exceed the total issued capital, and a number of investigations carried out by my Department have shown that the prices of the commodities produced and the profits have been maintained at reasonable levels. It is reasonable to assume that the information obtained by the writer of the article is also available to the Deputy, and I suggest that he should make his investigations through that source rather than through a question in the House.