asked the Minister for Finance if he is prepared to set up machinery to inquire into the cases of persons who subscribed to the Dáil loan and who have no certificates to produce but who are prepared to give full proof that they subscribed certain amounts.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - DAIL LOAN SUBSCRIBERS.
While the production of receipts in respect of subscriptions to the Dáil Eireann Internal Loan naturally facilitates repayment, my Department does not insist on such receipts, and repayment has in fact already been made in large numbers of cases where no receipts were available. Every application is considered on its merits, and where there is satisfactory evidence in support of the applicant's claim that he subscribed to the Dáil Eireann Internal Loan the amount of his subscription will be repaid with interest, as provided in the Dáil Eireann Loans and Funds Act, 1924. I do not consider that at present any special machinery is necessary beyond that which already exists in my Department.
Is the Minister aware that there should be some information given to the people so as to let them know what the Minister has just stated, because in North Fermanagh, for example, where £1,725 was subscribed, there is much dissatisfaction, because people did not get-receipts, and consequently they have been unable to obtain certificates?
Advertisements were issued in the Press asking the people who had subscribed to apply. If the particulars given in the application coincide with the information which exists in the Department of Finance, repayment will be made in those cases. If people have applied and have not yet had their cases dealt with, it does not follow that they will not be repaid. Perhaps before the whole work of the repayment of the loan has been dealt with, it may be necessary to set up some special investigation machinery, but until we have gone as far as we can go in dealing with these cases first, I would not consider the setting up of such machinery.