asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state (a) the total amount of freight charges which we are committed to pay on all the ships chartered for coal cargoes from America for each of the two years 1950 and 1951; (b) the amount which has or will be paid in (i) sterling and (ii) dollars; (c) whether any of these cargoes were arranged for Irish ships; (d) the number of ship brokers in Ireland who were asked to submit freight quotations for these cargoes, and (e) to whom the brokerage or commission on these charters was paid.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - American Coal Cargoes.
There was no American coal imported in 1950. A considerable quantity of American coal was imported by coal merchants and public utilities in the early part of 1951 but, as these purchases were arranged directly between the parties concerned, I am not in a position to supply the information requested in respect of them.
As from the commencement of the second quarter of 1951 purchases of American coal were confined to Fuel Importers (Eire), Limited. The following are the particulars requested by the Deputy in respect of the year 1951 as far as purchases by that company are concerned:—
(a) Total freight charges for American coal purchased and arranged for shipment are estimated at £2,220,000.
(b) (i) The amount which it is estimated will be paid in sterling is £24,532; (ii) dollar payments are estimated to amount to $6,147,314.
(c) None of those cargoes were arranged for Irish ships.
(d) Irish Shipping, Limited, was asked to make the shipping arrangements and all the charterings were arranged through that firm; and
(e) Brokerage or commission is payable by the ship-owners to Irish Shipping, Limited, and to their foreign agents.
Are any English agents getting any of that commission for the ships chartered by Irish Shipping, Limited? Are there any cross-Channel agents getting any commission?
Yes. The percentage of the commission is paid to the London agents of Irish Shipping, Limited.
Should that be so? Are we not able to control our own business as far as chartering ships for this country is concerned?
That may be so but, as the Deputy will appreciate, considerable difficulty has been experienced in lining up sufficient shipping to transport the amount of coal to be imported and the London agents of Irish Shipping, Limited, have been of considerable assistance in solving that problem.
Have any agents in this country been asked to tender, other than Irish Shipping, Limited?
Irish Shipping, Limited, alone were asked.
Alone. That is right. Why should we pay commission to anybody outside this country to bring coal or any other cargo to this country?
I am quite certain that Irish Shipping, Limited, would not have utilised the services of the London agents if they did not require them for the solution of the problem involved.
I suggest that the Minister should take a very serious view of our shipping and how it is being conducted.