asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce in respect of what companies grants in excess of £250,000 have been (a) given (b) promised or (c) under consideration by An Foras Tionscal.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Foras Tionscal Grants.
36.
It is not the practice to disclose details of grants approved by An Foras Tionscal in advance of the publication of the annual report, copies of which are laid before each House of the Oireachtas.
I would refer the Deputy to the reports for the years ending 31st March 1959, 1960 and 1962 which include particulars of grants approved in excess of £250,000 in respect of which payments were made in the years in question. An Foras Tionscal do not publish details of approved grants until payment of the grants has commenced or of grant applications under consideration.
Is the Minister aware that the Minister for Finance has on the Order Paper for Committee discussion today a Bill which, on Second Reading, he said was confined to those cases in respect of which a grant in excess of £250,000 had been given or approved, and in those circumstances is it not proper that the information should now be given to the House before that Bill is discussed?
I have given the reply that the information is available in the reports for 1959, 1960 and 1962.
We will keep the Minister for Finance here longer and teach him to provide the information.