asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will make a statement as to the position relative to a company (name supplied), giving the number of directors, how many of them are nationals, and how many of them are now in the country together with details of the State assistance, if any, given to them.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Nationality of Company Directors.
55.
Mr. Barrett
The information sought by the Deputy in regard to the number of directors of the company referred to in the question and their nationality is available in the Companies Registration Office. I have no information about the present whereabouts of the directors of this company.
As regards State assistance. I would refer the Deputy to the published reports of An Foras Tionscal for particulars of grants made to this firm.
Mr. Barrett
Is the Minister prepared to give the details sought in the question? I have asked the Minister "if he will make a statement as to the position relative to a company, name supplied, giving the number of directors, how many of them are nationals ..." The Minister does not answer the question. He refers me to other documents. I ask the Minister to give me the reply here as sought by a Deputy of this House.
The information is already published.
Mr. Barrett
I am entitled to get it here. I am asking the Minister to name how many are nationals and how many are non-nationals on this board of directors. I object to the Minister referring me to somewhere else. If I wanted to get it elsewhere. I would get it elsewhere.
I do not think the Deputy can claim that I should go collecting information that is already published.
Mr. Barrett
Surely it is the duty of the Minister to give information asked for by a Deputy. If what the Minister says is correct, we are never entitled to ask for any information if it is available from another source. I press the Minister to give me the reply for which I have asked.
The information is readily available to the Deputy by going to the Registration Office.
Mr. Barrett
Has the Minister not got it readily available in his Department? What objection has the Minister to giving it?
I have no objection to giving it.
Mr. Barrett
Why not give it?
Question No. 56.
Mr. Barrett
I have asked the Minister a question. He has no right to refuse me the information.
Are you not going to rule on this question?
I cannot rule on it. I have no authority to force the Minister to give any answer.
Mr. Barrett
Surely Deputies have some right to have their questions answered without being referred to other sources?
On a point of order. may I respectfully ask your protection, sir? Is it legitimate for a Minister to tell a Deputy who has asked for information that if he goes and pays a fee he can get it? I want to submit to you that you have a duty to protect our rights and insist that the Government will furnish us with information and not tell us to go and pay for it. We have a right to get it free.
You have not.
As Deputies, we have the right to bring Ministers before the House and ask them for information. Has the Minister any right to tell a Deputy to go and pay for it?
There is a statutory procedure for getting this information.
(Interruptions.)
Mr. Barrett
The Minister for Agriculture says there is a statutory procedure for obtaining the names of directors.
I am not concerned with interruptions. The Minister for Industry and Commerce has given a reply and I have no authority over the nature of a reply given by a Minister.
Mr. Barrett
Surely somebody has authority and if you have not authority, who has?
Will the Deputy resume his seat?
Mr. Barrett
On a point of order, surely if the Minister refuses to answer the question I asked, you should order him to answer it?
The Minister has given a reply and I have no authority over the nature of that reply. He has not given the reply the Deputy seeks but I have no authority over the reply the Minister gives.
Mr. Barrett
I refer you to the question.
I have ruled the Deputy out of order absolutely. The Deputy will resume his seat.
Mr. Barrett
On a point of order, I consider this is so important that I will refer you to the fact that I asked the Minister to make a statement and to give me the number of directors——
Deputy Barrett will please resume his seat.
Mr. Barrett
I consider this an outrage.