asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware (a) that on May 25th, 1928, complete lists of Dáil Loan, 1920, subscribers, covering the Cordal and Scartaglin parishes, Castleisland, County Kerry (total number of subscribers 121, and total amount subscribed from the former parish £179, and 115 subscribers and subscriptions amounting to £270 from the latter parish) were handed in at his Department; (b) that receipts acknowledging above lists were received; (c) that individual applications in all cases have been made in the manner specified by his Department; (d) that no original receipts from the old (1920) Dáil Loan Office were sent to the subscribers of this area—the British Military having confiscated, in Dublin, the receipts covering this money subscribed; (e) that statements from Very Rev. Father Brennan, P.P., Castlemaine, Kerry, were handed in to the Finance Department on May 25th, 1928, acknowledging that he received the amounts stated above, which were subscribed by the subscribers mentioned in the lists referred to; (f) and if the Minister will now state when his Department intend making an effort to refund this money to the subscribers whose names appear on the lists in question.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dáil Loan Subscriptions in Kerry.
The lists referred to in the Deputy's question were received in my Department on the 25th May, 1928. Upon examination of the primary Register of subscribers it was found that the particulars contained in the lists had not been furnished to the Dáil Department of Finance during the period in which the Loan was raised. An examination of the individual applications for repayment which have been received reveals several discrepancies between the particulars contained in these applications and those contained in the lists and, in addition, a number of applications have been received from persons in the Scartaglin and Cordal districts whose names are not entered in the lists. The statement by the Very Rev. Father Brennan which was handed in with the lists does not specify the actual amounts received by him for the districts referred to. I understand that the moneys received by Father Brennan were forwarded by him to another clergyman for transmission to the Dáil Department of Finance. Bulk amounts were received from the latter clergyman but there is at present no evidence which would enable my Department to identify the sums subscribed in the Cordal and Seartaglin parishes. I think that the clergyman in question whose name I will give the Deputy if he so desires, would be in a position to help in this matter if the Deputy could persuade him to reply to communications which have been sent to him. I am having further enquiries made but I am not in a position to state when it will be found possible to authorise repayment in respect of the subscriptions in question.