asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware that industry will have to install much costly machinery if any attempt is to be made to give adequate employment in the coming years, and that this will entail long preparation and a knowledge in advance of the rate of income-tax and excess profits duties to be paid; and, if so, whether, in order to encourage the immediate making of plans and to justify commitments for expenditure, he can now state whether he can hold out good hopes of a substantial reduction in income-tax and excess profits duties on industry in the near future.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Machinery and Industry.
While the Deputy will not expect me in reply to a parliamentary question to anticipate my Budget statement, I can assure him that I have the liveliest appreciation of the function of industry in the coming years. Naturally, in the framing of any Budgetary proposals, the position of industry must be fully borne in mind.