asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state the amount of public money made available to (a) An Bord Fáilte for the organisation of An Tóstal and (b) Fógra Fáilte for publicity for the event.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - An Tóstal Funds.
No specific allocation of public funds has been made either to An Bord Fáilte or to Fógra Fáilte for the purposes of An Tóstal. Both boards are meeting their expenses in connection with An Tóstal from the Grants-in-Aid made to them for the promotion of tourism. I have already furnished information, in reply to aquestion in Dáil Éireann on the 5th February, 1953, as to the expenditure incurred, and to be incurred, by each of the boards in the current financial year in connection with An Tóstal.
Does the Minister not propose to give the House particulars at any stage?
I do not know what the Deputy is referring to. There is no specific allocation for either board for the purposes of An Tóstal. The boards get money for tourist promotion purposes and it is for them to decide to what extent they will use that money for one purpose or another.
Will the Minister give the Dáil at some stage information as to what moneys are being spent by An Bord Fáilte and by Fógra Fáilte during the current year on organisation and publicity in America?
Yes, but it would not necessarily be all in connection with An Tóstal.
Will the Minister give the information to the House at any stage?
I presume I could ask the board for the information, but I do not want it to be said that I influenced the policy of the board in matters of expenditure of that kind. They are financed by way of Grants-in-Aid and are statutorily entitled to expend these moneys for the purposes set out in the Act in accordance with their own discretion.
I am not suggesting the Minister makes the apportionment but I am suggesting that the Minister should make available to this House information as to what apportionment was made by the board. I will put the question down again next week in a different form. Is the Minister aware that there are the most alarming rumours in Dublin circulated by people who have returned from America as to the manner in which this money is being spent? I think it would be very advisable that these rumours should be dispersed by a true statement of thefacts and that is what I want the Minister to give.
On the contrary, all the reports I have heard are very favourable.
I have heard stories of wild parties at the Waldorf Astoria, in Miami and other places and I want those stories dispersed by the truth.
I am sure it will not be difficult to do that.