asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state (1) the names, addresses and qualifications of the persons constituting or directing the body known as Irish Potato Marketing Company, Limited, and the persons or bodies by whom they were appointed; (2) the statutory or other authority under which the body is constituted; (3) the powers and duties of that body; (4) (a) the body's nominal capital; (b) the subscribed capital, and (c) the ownership of the subscribed capital, including particularly the amount of capital subscribed by the State; (5) the amount of money paid by the State to that body other than in the form of capital, and the amount of such money due as a repayable debt to the State; and (6) the amount of money borrowed by the body in respect of which he has given a guarantee regarding the repayment of principal and/or interest.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Potato Marketing Company.
Mr. Walsh
(1) I refer the Deputy to the reply given to Deputy O'Hara on the 18th July, 1951, and to a similar reply given by my predecessor to Deputy Kitt on 15th March, 1950. The only change in the directorate since then is that Mr. James Duffy, Senior Inspector, Department of Agriculture, replaces Mr. D. Delaney as one of the two official nominees. The qualifications of the persons appointed are that they have experience of the various branches of the potato industry. The first directors of the company were appointed by my predecessor in consultation with the Irish Potato Marketing Association; the two official nominees were likewise appointed by him, and a vacancy in the latter has been filled by an appointment made by me. No member receives any payment for his services.
(2) The company is a limited company incorporated under the Companies Acts 1908 to 1924.
(3) The powers and duties of the company are to endeavour to find markets abroad for seed and ware potatoes, to negotiate sales, arrange for the assembling of cargoes (this is done through the licensed potato exporters), to ship the produce, to collect the proceeds and settle with the licensed potato exporters, who in turn settle with the growers. The company's efforts are directed generally to promoting the trade in potatoes by every means available to it, and as a private company it may take any action to facilitate and develop the trade as is within the objects for which it was established.
(4) The company has no share capital, and none has been subscribed by the State.
(5) No moneys have been paid by the State to the company.
(6) The company has not received any guarantee from me in respect of borrowed moneys, but the Minister for Finance may give a guarantee to the company under the Supplies and Services (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1946, for amounts not exceeding £150,000.