asked the Minister for Finance whether he has seen a press report (details supplied) in regard to commitments made to stockbrokers, bankers and industrialists and whether such commitments or any of them are now part of the Government's economic policies.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Government's Economic Policies.
113.
During the course of the general election campaign, in common I assume with other parties, the parties of the National Coalition received and replied to many questions from interested groups concerning policy intentions.
The report to which the Deputy refers is an incomplete and unsatisfactory account of one set of replies. It would be misleading to interpret the report as a definitive statement of Government economic policy.
Could the Minister indicate which part of the report is true or, alternatively, which part is untrue so far as it relates to Government economic policy.
The report purports to be based upon a document prepared by the Fine Gael Party: in fact, it is based upon a document which was prepared by other persons and is, therefore, a document for which the Fine Gael Party cannot accept responsibility. In case there would be any misunderstanding arising out of the jaundiced way in which the Deputy tabled his question I should like to emphasise that no pledge was made to any particular sector but the commitment of the parties to the National Coalition is a commitment to all the people and will be so fulfilled.
Are we to take it from the Minister's last reply that in so far as there was any commitment involved in this to the whole people or any section of the people, that commitment is no longer regarded by the Government as binding on them? Or, alternatively, if there is any commitment in that regard binding on the Government, would the Minister undertake to lay before the House the details of that commitment because I think we are all entitled to know what it is?
I think it is impertinent of a Member to demand publication of private documents when that Member in particular silenced all members of his own party during the course of that election campaign and prohibited them from making any replies to any person who sought elucidation on points of Fianna Fáil policy.
I do not know to what the Minister is referring but you will note that he has not replied to my question. He has indicated to the House that certain parts of the matters referred to in this report are, in fact, Government policy. If that is so, we are entitled to know what they are and to whom the commitment was given and if, as he says, it is a commitment to all the people we are entitled to know what is the commitment and what is the extent of it. The Minister need not try to hide behind a cloud, a smokescreen that he has tried to produce. Let us find out what has been going on. Did the Labour Party know anything about this?
May it go on the records of the House that the Minister's allegation is completely untrue?
The cloud to which Deputy Colley referred is one which he and his colleagues put up in the course of the election campaign. As the Government's economic and social policy evolves it will be quite clear that the commitments made in their statement of intent are being fulfilled.
Will the Minister be prepared to lay the document before the House?
Certain people, it is stated, were responsible for the document—who were they? Did they belong to the Fine Gael Party or to the Labour Party or both?
We have had sufficient supplementaries. Question No. 114.