asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state the amount of the net adverse balance in the external trade of the Irish Free State in the year 1928, allowing for invisible items, including (a) freight payments and receipts, (b) tourist expenditure, (c) insurance transactions, and (d) movement of private long-term capital, giving the different items of invisible trade.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Saorstát External Trade.
As the reply contains a considerable number of figures, I propose, with the Deputy's agreement, to circulate it with the Official Report.
The following are the items of visible and invisible trade for -the calendar year 1928, or the financial year 1928-29 (unless otherwise indicated), as far as they are known or have been estimated in the Department of Industry and Commerce. The figures are the most recent available:—
Inward or Credit Movements
(Exports).
|
Amounts |
|
|
£ |
|
|
Merchandise, including silver bullion and coins other than gold exported (as per trade returns) |
45,660 |
|
Gold bullion and gold specie |
|
|
exported (as per trade returns) |
693 |
|
Estimated income from investments abroad, 1927-28 |
12,000 |
|
Port receipts from foreign shipping in national ports |
190 |
|
Estimate of emigrants' remittances from U.S.A. |
2,400 |
|
Quarterly adjustment of Post Office transactions, 1925-26 |
1,218 |
|
War Pensions paid by British Government to persons living in the Irish Free State, 1927-28 |
2,180 |
|
Royal Irish Constabulary Pensions paid by British Government to persons living in the Irish Free State, 1927-28 |
960 |
Outward or Debit Movements
(Imports).
|
Accounts |
|
|
£ |
|
|
Merchandise, including silver bullion and coins other than gold, imported (as per trade returns) |
59,271 |
|
Estimate of Profit on investments of foreign capital in Saorstát Eireann, 1927-28 |
5,300 |
|
Estimate of emigrants' passage and travelling money |
750 |
|
Diplomatic, Consular and similar expenditure abroad |
42 |
|
Repayment to British Government in respect of pensions of the Royal Irish Constabulary and Civil Pensions |
1,334 |
|
Land Purchase, Local Loans and Damage to Property annuities; payment of interest and repayment of principal under Telegraph Acts, 1892 to 1921, Public Offices Site (Dublin) Act, 1896, and Marine Works (Ireland) Act, 1902 |
4,031 |
As imports of merchandise arc valued c.i.f. and exports of merchandise f.o.b., freight charges arc included in the values of visible imports and exports, and need not be allowed for separately. The earnings of Saorstát-owned shipping in the external trade are not known, but constitute a small invisible export, or credit item. I am not in a position to give estimates in respect of invisible items other than those mentioned.