asked the Minister for Finance whether his attention has been drawn to a recent statement in the British Parliament by the Economic Secretary to the Treasury answering for the Chancellor of the Exchequer that he was not in a position to state whether or not financial aid had been transferred to Walter Naumann and other German subjects by Sir Oswald Mosley due to the fact that Sir Oswald Mosley was now resident in this country and, therefore, not subject to British exchange controls; and, if so, if he will state whether any financial help in the form of sterling had, in fact, been transferred from this country by Sir Oswald Mosley to Walter Naumann or other German subjects; and, if so, if he sanctioned the transfer.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Financial Aid for German Subjects.
I have seen a report of the statements referred to by the Deputy.
Having regard to the confidential nature of information disclosed to the exchange control, I would not in the normal course be willing to answer a parliamentary question bearing on a particular application, or directed towards finding out whether or not a named individual has made an application for a particular purpose. In this case, however, I feel that it is in the interests both of the exchange control and of the named Irish resident that I should deal with the report mentioned by the Deputy.
No exchange control approval for the transfer of funds to the Federal Republic of Germany for the purpose stated in the Deputy's question has been sought by, or granted to, any Irish resident. The reply to the second part of the Deputy's question is, therefore, in the negative.