Vol. 247 No. 2
asked the Minister for Finance whether any steps can be taken by the Government either through post offices or otherwise to enable businesses, industrialists and individuals to have access to cash for salary and wage payments and other business purposes.
27.
asked the Minister for Finance if he will make arrangements during the present banks closure to provide facilities for tourists to change their currency.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 27 together.
Cash is being made available to meet normal Post Office transactions. Since the banks dispute began, the public also has been making greatly increased use of the existing Post Office remittance services and of Post Office Savings Bank facilities for making payments of all kinds. It would not, however, be possible to provide money through post offices to meet general business and trading needs.
Various banks are not affected by the closure and these are providing certain facilities for their customers, including in a number of cases the supply of cash to meet wages, salaries and other business needs. The Central Bank has taken steps to ensure that sufficient cash will be available to these banks to meet their requirements. Arrangements have also been made to meet cash requirements of the public services for payment of wages and salaries. Many businesses are able to get the cash they require from other businesses having a cash inflow.
The banks still open and travel agents who normally provide such facilities will continue to be able to provide exchange facilities for tourists. I have no doubt also that hotels, guest-houses and traders will be able to facilitate tourists who are their customers which would follow normal practice.
I should like to emphasise that, despite suggestions made to the contrary, there is substantially more currency— in the region of £10 million—in circulation than before the closure of the Associated Banks. Special arrangements have been made to maintain an adequate supply of currency in circulation and there is no need for anxiety on this score.
May I ask the Minister why it was that the excellent Post Office giro scheme was rejected and ceded to the banks for establishment— their natural opponents or competitors? Secondly, would the Minister not agree that if the Post Office giro system now existed it would be of considerable benefit to salary and wage earners and to business men generally?
This would seem to be a separate question.
It arises from the Post Office giro system. Thirdly, would the Minister reconsider the institution of such a scheme in order to obviate the likelihood of the banks being in this monopoly position and exercising their monopoly position in this arrogant way, in the public interest?
In view of the fact that the Deputy's three supplementary questions relate to something that does not appear at all in this question I am not prepared to reply to them without notice.
George, you are feeling the weight of your power.
You can answer it next week, Minister?
If the Deputy puts down a question which he wishes to have answered, of course, he will get a reply.
You have a very short season ahead of you. Make the most of it.
The inefficiency of the Deputy in putting down the question he wishes to ask is not my responsibility.
May I ask the Minister when the country Deputies and Senators will get their allowances for the month of May?
That would seem to be a separate question.
It arises from the Minister's reply. He said that arrangements were being made by the Central Bank to provide moneys for the payment of the public service and I have asked him a question arising out of that: When will the country Deputies and Senators get their allowances for the month of May?
When they become entitled to them.
When can they change their cheques?
Would the Minister consider the matter serious enough to have a word with his colleague, the Minister for Labour, to see if that overworked individual could intervene in the present dispute?
That is a separate question which is getting away from the question before the House.
I am afraid, Sir, a number of the Deputies in this House need a little re-education in the procedure in regard to questions and their obligations which they are endeavouring to pass over to Ministers because of their inability to frame the questions they want to ask.
Some of your Ministers seem to have needed it in the past couple of months.
Would the Minister say what special arrangements were made to have the extra £10 million currency put into circulation?
That would seem to be a separate question.
I do not know that; if that question were asked, I would be prepared to give the information. I have told the Deputy what took place—that this extra money was put into circulation—but if he wants actual details of how that was done that is another matter.
Was it before the banks closed?
I have said it was.
Question No. 28.
Question No. 28 has been called.
