asked the Minister for Finance if he proposes to meet from the Exchequer malicious damages claims against Dublin Corporation arising from bomb explosions in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
17.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Malicious Damage Claims.
16.
asked the Minister for Finance if he will take steps by legislation or otherwise to ensure that all claims against local authorities arising from bomb damage will be met automatically from the Exchequer.
18.
asked the Minister for Finance if he proposes to have malicious damage claims arising from vandalism met from the Exchequer, in view of the increase in the amount of these claims and the obvious inability of the ratepayers, particularly in Dublin city, to meet them; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 16, 17 and 18 together.
I have no funds at my disposal out of which such claims could be met. The law provides that any compensation awarded as a result of malicious damage claims is a liability of the local authorities. The question of any amendment to the law in this respect is a matter for the Minister for Justice. In this connection the Deputy's attention is directed to Question No. 90 of 25th October, 1973.
Has the Minister any comment to make on some remarks attributed to him in the Evening Herald of Tuesday, February 5th, regarding this question in which he is quoted as having demanded——
Quotations are not permitted at Question Time.
——that the Government pay for malicious damage to property? What has caused him to change his mind?
No demand has come my way.
Does the Minister deny he ever called on the previous Government to pay from the Exchequer for the damage caused by bombs?
I thought the Deputy was suggesting that a demand had been presented to me.
The Minister is reported as having demanded the previous Government to pay these claims from the Exchequer.
The Deputy may not make a statement.
I do not either assert or disagree with it. I am dealing with the questions put down by the Deputy, which did not relate to what was in the Evening Herald.
Did I understand the Minister to say that he had no funds at his disposal with which to do this?
Yes. The Minister for Finance has no funds at his disposal to meet these claims. If the Deputy refers to the answer given to Question No. 90 of 25th October last he will be aware that the matter is under review by the Minister for Justice at present.
Question No. 19.
This is the point I wanted to extract from the Minister. I take it he is not saying that under no circumstances will any compensation be paid for bomb damage especially having regard to the announcement made by the previous Government to the effect that a scheme to do this was being introduced.
The present Government have also given an indication of their policy in this matter. A question was asked of the Minister for Finance with regard to funds at his disposal and I have indicated that I have not got funds at my disposal, as Minister for Finance, as I am sure Deputy Colley is aware that he had not the funds either.
(Interruptions.)
I have called Question No. 19 several times already.
Is the report in an evening newspaper of last week that negotiations were taking place between the Department of Finance and the corporation in relation to meeting these claims not true?
They have not come to my knowledge.
Could I ask the Minister——
This is hardly fair to the Chair. We must have some finality in the matter of asking questions.
May I ask the Minister, if he has no funds at his disposal, would he inquire where the previous Government got the funds to pay for the damage done to Nelson Pillar?
The Deputy is broadening the subject matter of the question. Question No. 19.