asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will lay before the House a full statement of accounts in connection with the oat purchase scheme of 1948-49.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Oat Purchase Scheme.
The financial transactions relating to the oats purchase scheme were handled by Grain Importers (Éire) Limited, and as I informed the Deputy last week, the scheme will not result in any profit or loss to the Exchequer. In the circumstances I do not propose to lay before the House a full statement of accounts in this connection, as it constitutes an integral part of the coarse grain and imported offals account of Grain Importers, Limited, which is a private company, whose accounts, however, are annually audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General.
In view of the magnitude of this scheme and that a guarantee was given by the Government to finance the scheme, surely Deputies are entitled to know all the facts in regard to the purchase and sale of the oats in question.
Most emphatically, and it is for that reason that the unusual course was taken by the predecessor of my colleague, the Minister for Industry and Commerce, requiring a private company to submit its accounts annually to the Comptroller and Auditor General who, as the Deputy is aware, is a constitutional officer of the State.