asked the Minister for Finance if he will state the profit or loss for each of the last four years of companies incorporated under the Companies Acts in which State funds are invested, and the gross amount received by the Exchequer by way of dividend.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - State Investments.
The information requested by the Deputy regarding profits is contained in a tabular statement which, with thepermission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to have included in the Official Report. The statement is set out below.
The other information requested by the Deputy's question has already been given in the reply to his previous question on the 21st October, 1953.
On this occassion I have obliged the Deputy by extracting particulars from published accounts, but I should liketo remind him for future reference that full information regarding the matters dealt with in his questions of 21st October and to-day is available in the accounts of the various companies as presented to Dáil Éireann and, moreover, so far as concerns payments and receipts on Government account, relevant details are available in the annual finance accounts and/or appropriation accounts.
Following is the statement:—
|
Name of Company |
Profit as shown in published accounts |
||||
|
Year ended |
1950 |
1951 |
1952 |
1953 |
|
|
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
||
|
Agricultural Credit Corporation, Ltd. |
30th April |
14,803 |
13,777 |
10,132 |
12,056 |
|
Alginate Industries (Ireland), Ltd. |
30th September |
1,871 |
1,832 |
2,016 |
(a) |
|
Ceimicí, Teoranta |
30th September |
42,172 |
— |
— |
(a) |
|
Cólucht Groighe Náis-iúnta na hÉireann, Teoranta |
31st December |
— |
3,011 |
3,282 |
(a) |
|
Comhlucht Siúicre Éireann, Teoranta |
30th April |
184,233 |
121,421 |
70,472 |
204,794 |
|
Industrial Credit Company, Ltd. |
31st October |
92,567 |
63,845 |
19,557 |
(a) |
|
Irish Shipping, Ltd. |
30th June |
182,519 |
315,550 |
749,526 |
193,396 |
(a) Accounts not yet published.
Will the Minister say if copies of the balance sheets of the companies to which he referred will be provided to Deputies on application?
Yes.
Arising out of the Minister's statement, I have no desire to make a dusty reply to what he said, but is it correct for a Minister in answering a parliamentary question, to say that "on this occasion" he proposes to oblige the Deputy by giving the information sought? Am I not correct in saying that we are under no obligement to Ministers for discharging their statutory duty in answering parliamentary questions that give the information Deputies seek from him within the rules of order? I think this is a matter of importance. It is not an obligement.
It is a matter on which I have nothing to say.
I want respectfully to suggest to you, Sir, that you are the custodian of the rights of the humblest Deputy to secure that which he is entitled to demand.
Surely——
I am addressing the Ceann Comhairle, not the Taoiseach. I am asking if the humblest Deputy of the House has not the right to obtain through the Minister—not by obligement—the information which he seeks by way of parliamentary question?We want no obligement from the Minister.
(Interruptions.)
Deputies have a right to the information and it is tabled in the Library.
The Chair has no function in the matter.
Would you oblige us by giving us the password of the Molly Maguires?
Ask Sweet Fanny.
It would be an obligement to give us the password. We do not know it. It is not tabled in the Library.