With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I should like to make a statement on a matter that Deputy Haughey raised on Friday regarding the nonavailability to Members of copies of the statement issued by the Central Bank on the morning of that date. No Minister has responsibility for the distribution of Central Bank statements. The matters covered in the Central Bank statement of Friday last—control of credit, changes in the liquidity ratios of the banks and changes in interest rates—fall within the normal functions of the Central Bank. Announcements on these subjects have been issued frequently in the past in the same form of a Press statement and were not circulated to Members of the Oireachtas.
I am advised by the Central Bank that statements and announcements are published in its Quarterly Bulletin or Annual Report and in this way a permanent record is available. The Annual Report is presented to each House and copies are made available to Deputies and Senators. I understand that the Quarterly Bulletin and the statistical supplement, which is published in months when the bulletin does not appear, are not similarly circulated. They are sent to persons and organisations who have asked to receive them and it is open to any Member to have his name included on the mailing list.
I hope that my statement will clarify the position and that it will be clear the nothing was denied to Deputies. The document was issued by the Central Bank in the proper exercise of its functions, was in the form of a Press release and, as such, was issued only to the news media.
