asked the Minister for Finance if he will state, in respect of the Legal Tender Note Fund, the nature of, and the rate of interest payable on, the British Government securities to the value of £7,372,836 and £28,010,396, held on the 30th September, 1939, and on the 31st December, 1944, respectively.
Written Answers. - Legal Tender Note Fund Securities.
While the aggregate holdings of British Government securities in the Legal Tender Note Fund are published weekly in Iris Oifigiúil, the Central Bank has no obligation to disclose details of the composition of such holdings and it would not appear to be in the public interest that it should have such an obligation. In accordance with a long-standing arrangement the Bank in its annual report indicates the amount of the securities in question which have a maturity exceeding 12 months, this amount as at 31st March, 1944, being £9,930,000. The figures of dividends and interest on the assets of the Legal Tender Note Fund are published in the annual accounts of the Bank, the figure under this head being £337,471 for the year ended 31st March, 1944.