asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the total amount of State grants paid under the Undeveloped Areas Act, 1952 since it came into force, and the number of industries to which grants were made.
58.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Industrial Grants.
57.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the total amount of State grants paid to date under the Industrial Grants Act, 1959 to (a) areas west of the Shannon (undeveloped areas) and (b) the rest of the country, and the number of industries concerned in each case.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to take Question 57 and Question 58 together.
In compliance with statutory requirements, the Annual Report of An Foras Tionscal is laid on the table of each House of the Oireachtas. The information in relation to grants under the Undeveloped Areas Act, 1952, requested by the Deputy is available for the period ended 31st March, 1959 in the published Annual Reports of An Foras Tionscal. The report for the year ended 31st March, 1960, which will be available shortly will contain the information for the period to that date in relation to the grants under the Undeveloped Areas Act, 1952 and the Industrial Grants Act, 1959.
Information relating to grants under the Industrial Grants Act, 1956, for the period ended 31st March, 1959, is available in the published Annual Report of the Industrial Development Authority. The report of Foras Tionscal for the year ended 31st March, 1960, will contain information regarding grants provided by the Industrial Development Authority under the Industrial Grants Act, 1956, for the period to 26th August, 1959, when that Act was replaced by the Industrial Grants Act, 1959.
May I take it from the Minister that the members of the public who are subscribing this money for industrial concerns are not in a position to know how much of their money is being made available each year unless they go through the annual accounts of the body concerned? Surely the Minister is in a position to give the bulk sum to this House so that it can be published in the newspapers and the general public, who are the taxpayers, may know what the position is?
There is no difficulty in getting the bulk sum at the end of the year. I am only directing the Deputy's attention to where he can get it.
I am asking why the Minister cannot give the information directly in the Dáil without directing a Deputy to get it in the Library or elsewhere. The Deputy is speaking, I presume, on behalf of the general public who will not be in a position to go to the Deputy and queue up in order to get the information.
The practice has been to refer Deputies to these annual reports and accounts and they are readily available to Deputies. As well as that, during the course of the year, in a number of speeches, not only in the House but outside the House, I, as Minister for Industry and Commerce, have kept the public very fully informed of the expenditure under these Acts.
Is there any objection on the part of the Minister to give the information to the House?
Question No. 59.