asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce when he will make copies of the inter-departmental report on mining royalties and taxation available to Members of the Oireachtas.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Mining Royalties Report.
60.
As the report referred to by the Deputy contains much information of a confidential nature, including information about the affairs of private companies, it would not be proper for me to make copies available as requested.
Would the Minister not accept that, in relation to wealth which belongs to the State, there should not be any confidentiality or secrecy as far as this House is concerned?
That is a separate question.
It arises out of the Minister's reply.
If I could separate wealth belonging to the State from wealth belonging to private companies, then we would have no problem. The difficulty is that there is information from private and public companies of a confidential kind so it is not simply a matter of revealing information, data, or figures, relating to things belonging to the State but to private and public companies also. The Deputy is well aware that you could not have co-operation in commercial practice if you did not accord that confidentiality to certain companies. This is normal and long established practice which is accepted universally.
Would the Minister accept that some of these foreign-controlled companies are not amenable to Irish company law?
That is a separate question. Question No. 61.
I share the Deputy's concern.
We are concerned with the distribution of the wealth of the Irish nation. It is very important that elected Members of this House should have that information available to them.
The Deputy will have to put down a separate question.
I can see certain reasoning behind the Minister's argument. Would he make available to Members of the Oireachtas the straightforward recommendations made by this committee without giving details of what led up to the recommendations?
I will not undertake to give a definite answer at this moment but I will consider the Deputy's request and see if it can be acceded to reasonably and within the bounds of confidentiality. If I can I will.
When will we know?
Ask me again.