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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 9 Aug 1933

Vol. 49 No. 13

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Reports of Recent Conferences.

asked the Minister for External Affairs if he will state when it is intended to publish (a) the promised report on the mission of Mr. Stephen O'Mara to the United States of America; (b) a report on the objectives and results of the recent visit to the United States of America by the Minister for Lands and Fisheries; (c) an account of the activities of the Minister for Lands and Fisheries at the recent World Economic Conference.

With regard to the first part of the question, I refer the Deputy to the reply given by me in the Dáil on the 5th day of July, 1932, to a question put down by ex-Deputy Blythe, and to the reply given on the same occasion to a supplementary question by Deputy MacDermot. I made it clear on that occasion that the report of Mr. O'Mara's mission would not be laid before the House. I undertook, however, to make known the result of the decisions arrived at with regard to the recommendations made in Mr. O'Mara's report. I further indicated that full information as to the actual expenses of the mission would be given. On the 15th March, 1933, a Supplementary Estimate was moved in the matter by the Minister for Finance, but no statement of actual expenses was asked for and the Vote went through without discussion. On the 11th July, 1933, during the debate on the Estimate for the Department of External Affairs, I gave an account of Mr. O'Mara's mission and of the extension of our establishments in the United States as a result of his recommendations. I refer the Deputy to columns 2154-2155 of Volume 48, No. 6, of the Parliamentary Debates (Dáil Eireann).

With regard to the second part of the Deputy's question, it is not my intention to lay before the Dáil any report relating to the recent visit of the Minister for Lands and Fisheries to the United States.

With regard to the third part of the question, the documents of the World Economic Conference are public documents, and a record of the debates of the Conference is available to the Deputy in the Journal, and will be available in the Minutes of the Conference. Copies of the Journal and the Minutes will be placed in the Library. The statement made by the Minister for Lands and Fisheries on the 13th day of July, 1933, has already been made available to Deputies.

The President has referred me to the reply given by him on 5th July, 1932, to part (a) of the question. Does the President remember that on that date he stated that a report had been presented to him which he would explain to the House? Has he explained that report to the House?

I made it quite clear that the report was of an extremely confidential character and that it was not proposed to publish it.

I am not asking about the confidential character of the report, but I am asking the President to explain to the House whether on 5th July, 1932, he did say that he had received a report from Mr. Stephen O'Mara which he would explain to the House?

It was explained.

Will the President now state to the House whether, since 5th July, 1932, there was an implementation of the promise that he would state what the expenses were?

Surely it is not the fault of the Minister if Deputies do not ask any further questions about it.

On the 5th July, the President said he would give an account of these expenses. That has not been done.

It has not. It has not been given to the House. With regard to part (b) of the question, would any part of the objective of the activities of the Minister for Lands and Fisheries while in America have to do with the Dáil bonds issue and the Irish Press?

It has to do, certainly, with the making of preliminary arrangements with regard to the question of repayment. It had no reference whatever to the Irish Press.

Then the Minister went, at our expense, to collect the loot.

I think that there ought to be some limit to the extent to which Deputies are allowed to make observations of that sort.

There is a tremendous limit to the extent to which a Minister is allowed to be sent to pilfer the taxpayer at his expense.

Is there any rule of order here? Is the Deputy to be allowed to make a statement of that kind?

A Deputy is not entitled to make statements in the guise of supplementary questions.

Is it in order——

I want to answer your point, a Chinn Comhairle,——

I was on my feet first.

The Minister for Finance.

Is it in order for a Deputy to state that a member of the Executive Council went to America to pilfer the taxpayers?

Who said that?

Deputy McGilligan said it.

If the charge is a political one, as it seems to be, it is in order.

That is not a political charge. It is a charge of personal corruption.

May I withdraw the statement as to the Minister being sent to pilfer the public purse and ask if it was one of the objectives that he was to aid in the pilfering of the public purse? Am I in order now?

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