asked the Taoiseach what percentage of the gross national product was accounted for in each year since 1950 by the State and semi-State organisations, boards or companies.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Gross National Product.
2.
It is not possible from the available data to state what percentage of gross national product is accounted for by State and semi-State organisations, boards or companies, since, with the exception of a few large public enterprises, separate particulars of wages and salaries and profits of these bodies are not extracted.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary really seriously mean to say no attempt is made to evaluate what percentage of the gross national product comes from the public sector and what from the private sector? Of course, it is evaluated by everybody.
It would be possible to extract wages and salaries of State and semi-State organisations but considerable difficulty would be experienced in extracting figures for the profits and losses of these bodies which would have to be done from returns made to the Revenue Commissioners. It is hoped it will be possible to investigate this matter further when the staffing position of the national income section improves.
The position in relation to losses will be, unhappily, far too easily assessed, particularly by the senior Minister present today.