asked the Minister for Supplies if he will state (a) if arrangements have been made by the Irish Shipping Company, Limited, or by his Department for the repair and overhaul of ships purchased under State auspices; if so, will he state if such arrangements have been made for ships outside the capacity of the Dublin Docks; (b) if it is a fact that there is a danger of ships having to wait by reason of the fact that the Dublin Dock Company are unable to cope with the work.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Irish Shipping.
asked the Minister for Supplies if he will state the number of ships purchased to date, their total net tonnage, the total sum paid for such ships, and the nationality of their several crews, distinguishing, in the case of non-Irish nationals, between white and coloured seamen.
asked the Minister for Supplies if he will state the number of ships purchased by State money under Government auspices to date by Irish Shipping, Limited; their tonnage and state of repair when purchased.
I propose to take questions Nos. 43, 44, and 45 together. The share capital of Irish Shipping Limited, amounting to £200,000, has been subscribed in full. Under the Emergency Powers (No. 72) Order, 1941, the Minister for Finance has taken up 101,997 shares, and has indicated to the company's bankers his readiness to guarantee advances to the company to the extent of £2,000,000. I cannot see that any useful purpose would be served by publishing particulars of the ships in the possession of Irish Shipping Limited at any particular time, or their cost; in fact, information as to the number of ships or as to their tonnage is of very little value in view of the time which in certain cases inevitably elapses before the vessel can be put into service, and the uncertainty in existing conditions as to the number of voyages which it may be able to make in any given period. The company has since its establishment been exploring, and continues to explore, every possibility of acquiring ships and, in considering any particular ship, the board naturally takes into account the repairs, if any, which may be required and the repair facilities available or likely to be available. I may say in this connection that the possibility of re-opening Rushbrook Dock has for some time been engaging the active attention of the Department of Industry and Commerce and the Department of Supplies. Crews are not recruited by Irish Shipping Limited; they are employed by, and on the responsibility of, the companies which manage the vessels on behalf of the owning company.
I should like to take this opportunity of expressing the Government's appreciation of the action of the Government of the United States in agreeing to the sale to Irish Shipping Limited and transfer to the Irish flag of two excellent United States vessels.
How much of the original £200,000 has been subscribed by the State?
£101,997.
Will the Minister bear in mind that if the State owns more than half of the capital and proposes to pledge the credit of the community for another £2,000,000, it is desirable that there should be some more precise information at the disposal of Deputies? That is not an unreasonable request, seeing that the company will be practically State-owned.
The Deputy will understand that the figure has changed.
Will the Minister give some basic figure to date as to the tonnage?
What is really important is the quantity of merchandise that the ships can carry.
Will the Minister give some more precise information?
The figures will not give the Deputy the information he wants.
At present all we know is that the Minister for Finance has taken up 101,997 shares and that he has promised £2,000,000 more. We should get some information as to the assets of the company and the tonnage it is getting for the capital invested and for the promised loan.
Will the Minister say whether, before these ships were purchased, he received a certificate from a marine engineer as to their value and seaworthiness?
I did not.
On whose advice did the Minister act?
On the advice of the agents of the company.
The company that were selling?
As far as price is concerned the price was that at which we could get ships for.
I tried to get some information and I then put down this question. Surely we are entitled to get the information. I do not want it for publication. I want definite information in order to make a case for Rushbrook dock.
I guessed that and that is the reason for what I said.
To put me off. What objection has the Minister to answering question No. 45:
"to state the number of ships purchased by State money under Government auspices to date by Irish Shipping, Ltd."
Surely that information could be given.
It might be misleading. I have no objection at all to telling the Deputy privately what the position is.
I could not get the information up to now.
If the Deputy's interest is in Rushbrook Dock I can assure him that that matter is receiving the attention of my Department and also of the Irish Shipping Company.
I had to resort to this method to obtain an answer to a simple question. I think it is hardly fair to Deputies to be put off like this. The company was set up under the guise of a private limited company but more than half the capital consists of State money, yet Deputies are not allowed to get information when they want to make a case.
Is the Minister promising to communicate the information to the Deputy to a particular date?
Certainly.