asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy if he will (a) identify the capital advances and loans in the Bord na Móna accounts for 1977-78 "where the loans have been repaid and assets fully written off" and where the "annual loan charge has been continued" and charged against revenue, including also (b) the approximate amount in the 1977-78 accounts attributed to this "extended" or "double" charge, (c) if the Government pays loan charges on loans which have been fully repaid, (d) the source of the authorisation for the "double charge" and (e) if this system has been authorised for other public bodies and local authorities.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Bord na Móna.
10.
I would refer the Deputy to the published accounts of the board. The capital account shows the total amount of redemptions to date. The charge involved in transfer to reserves in respect of repaid loans and assets written off is shown in note 3 (a) to the account under the title Reserves—Renewals and development. The procedure adopted by the board is a normal commercial procedure and is equivalent to raising a similar charge elsewhere in the accounts for depreciation reserve. There is no question of a double charge.
I do not propose to ask the board to identify further the particular advances involved as the accounts are in a form complying with statutory requirements and whose format was approved as late as 1976.
The matters raised by the Deputy under (c) and (e) of his question are not my responsibility.
11.
asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy (a) if his attention has been drawn to a report in a Sunday newspaper (details supplied) alleging gross wastefulness, incompetence and maladministration in Bord na Móna; (b) if he caused this report to be investigated and, if so, with what results; and (c) if he will now make a statement on the matter.
I have had this report investigated and have obtained detailed information from Bord na Móna about each of the allegations which it contains. I am satisfied from my investigations that there is no substance in any of the allegations.
I am glad to hear that. I ask the Minister to accept that in putting the question down I intended no reflection on Bord na Móna nor did I wish to associate myself with the allegation. I only wanted to have the story investigated.