asked the Minister for Finance if he will state in relation to all companies set up by the State the following particulars in each case: (a) the total capital; (b) the amount of State funds subscribed; (c) the number, salaries and names of State-appointed directors and the number otherwise appointed; (d) the amount of capital prescribed by legislation to be subscribed by State-appointed directors; (e) where a civil servant is so appointed, particulars regarding his directors' fees, and other such fees and his Civil Service salary and allowances; (f) whether the finances of the company are accounted for to the Comptroller and Auditor-General and the Committee of Public Accounts; and (g) whether any Minister of State is responsible to Dáil Eireann for the proper conduct of such company.
Written Answers. - State Companies.
The particulars requested are given in the following statements:—
1. Aer-Rianta, Teoranta. (a) £500,000 authorised, £117,011 issued and paid up; (b) £117,000; (c) four— Messrs. John Leydon, T.J. Flynn, J. P. O'Brien and J.J. O'Leary. Remuneration: each, £300 p.a. (while also acting as directors of Aer Lingus, Teo.). No other directors; (d) no legislative provision; (e) Messrs. Leydon and Flynn—directors' fees as given at (c) above; Civil Service basic salary and bonus: £1,500 and £292 16s. and £1,000 and £322 3s., respectively; (f) no; the accounts, which are required by Section 81 of the Air Navigation and Transport Act, 1936, to be drawn up in the manner prescribed by the Minister for Finance, are audited by commercial auditors appointed annually by the company with the approval of the Minister for Finance. The Act also provides for the furnishing of the audited accounts to the Minister for Finance and for their presentation by him to the Oireachtas; (g) Ministerial responsibility to the Oireachtas extends to such functions as are conferred on a particular Minister or Ministers by the relevant legislation.
2. Aer Lingus, Teoranta. (a) £100,000 authorised; £80,008 issued and paid up; (b) none; but £80,000 was subscribed by Aer-Rianta, Teo.; (c), (d), (e) as for Aer-Rianta, Teo.; (f) no; the accounts are audited by commercial auditors appointed annually by the company. In accordance with Section 81 of the Air Navigation and Transport Act, 1936, the accounts, like those of Aer-Rianta, Teoranta, are required to be drawn up in the manner prescribed by the Minister for Finance, and the audited accounts must be furnished to him and presented by him to the Oireachtas; (g) as for Aer-Rianta, Teoranta.
3. Agricultural Credit Corporation, Limited. (a) £1,000,000 authorised, £1,000,000 issued, 10/- per share paid up; (b) £292,118; (c) three: Mr. R.C. Barton, Senator W. Quirke and Mr. P.F. Walsh. Remuneration £800, £300 and £300 per annum, respectively. Four other directors; (d) no legislative provision; (e) none of the directors is a civil servant; (f) no; the accounts are kept in accordance with Section 17 of the Agricultural Credit Act, 1927, and the auditors are appointed annually by the company; (g) as for Aer-Rianta, Teoranta.
4. Comhlucht Siúicre Éireann, Teoranta. (a) £2,000,000 authorised, £1,000,014 issued and paid up; (b) £500,000; (c) four: Messrs. P.C. Cahill, A.J. Lalor, A.A. Odlum and T O'Mahony. Remuneration: each £300 per annum. Three other directors; (d) no legislative provision; (c) none of the directors is a civil servant; (f) no; the accounts are audited by commercial auditors appointed annually by the company. In accordance with Section 15 of the Sugar Manufacture Act, 1933, the audited accounts, drawn up in the form prescribed by the Minister for Finance, are furnished to him and subsequently presented to the Oireachtas; (g) as for Aer-Rianta, Teoranta.
5. Dairy Disposal Company, Limited. (a) £10 authorised, £7 issued; (b) nil; (c) three: Messrs. H. Friel, M. Horgan and M.B. McAuliffe. Remuneration: £200, £100 and £100 per annum, respectively. No other directors; (d) no legislative provision; (e) the three directors are civil servants. Their remuneration as directors is given at (c) above; their Civil Service salaries and bonus are £1,200 and £321 17s., £600 and £277 3s. and £700 and £294 2s., respectively; (f) the accounts are audited by commercial auditors appointed annually by the company. Information as to the company's finances has been furnished to the Committee of Public Accounts—see Appendix X to the Report of the Committee on the 1941-42 Appropriation Accounts and Appendix VII to the Report of the Committee on the 1942-43 Appropriation Accounts; (g) the Minister for Agriculture is responsible to the Oireachtas for the general policy of the company but day-to-day administration of the company's affairs is entirely within the discretion of the directors.
6. Flax Development Board, Limited. (a) £5 authorised, issued and paid up; (b) nil; (c) three: Messrs. J.M. Adams, J. Dempsey and P. McGovern. Remuneration: £500, £100 and £100 per annum, respectively. No other directors; (d) no legislative provision; (e) Mr. Dempsey—remuneration as director given at (c) above, Civil Service salary, basic, £680, bonus, £304 11s.; (f) and (g) no; the accounts are audited by commercial auditors appointed annually by the company. No funds are voted by the Oireachtas for the company and its finances do not, therefore, come under review by the Committee of Public Accounts. The directors of the company have discretion in administering a policy which has been approved generally by the Minister for Agriculture.
7. Industrial Credit Company, Limited. (a) £5,000,000 authorised, £1,000,000 issued, £812,500 paid up; (b) £804,517; (c) three: Messrs. J.P. Colbert, L.J. Kettle and M.W. O'Reilly. Remuneration: £1,600, £300 and £300 respectively. Two other directors; (d) no legislative provision; (e) none of the directors is a civil servant; (f) no; the accounts, which are required by Section 11 of the Industrial Credit Act, 1933, to be drawn up in the manner prescribed by the Minister for Finance, are audited by commercial auditors appointed annually by the company. The Minister's approval of the persons nominated as auditors is required (Paragraph 4 (e) of the Schedule to the Industrial Credit Act, 1933). In accordance with Section 11 of the Act, the audited accounts are furnished to the Minister for Finance and presented by him to the Oireachtas; (g) as for Aer-Rianta, Teoranta.
8. Irish Shipping, Limited. (a) £200,000 authorised, issued and paid up; (b) £101,993; (c) six: Messrs. J. Leydon, T.J. Flynn, A.S. Gordon, S.J.K. Roycroft, J.J. Stafford (Junior) and T.D. Hallinan. Remuneration at the rate of £500 per annum was fixed for the non-civil servant directors. Of these directors, one has accepted remuneration (from 1st July, 1945). No other directors; (d) no legislative provision; (e) Messrs. Leydon and Flynn are civil servants. Other particulars given above; (f) the company has appointed the Comptroller and Auditor-General as auditor each year to date. He conducts a commercial audit in accordance with the Companies Acts. Apart from the original capital subscription, no funds have been provided by the Oireachtas for the company and, accordingly, its finances do not come under review by the Committee of Public Accounts; (g) the Minister for Supplies is responsible for general policy of the company, but day-to-day administration is entirely within the discretion of the directors.
9. Mianraí, Teoranta. (a) £200 authorised, issued and paid up; (b) £200; (c) seven: Messrs. P.S. Brady, F.F. O'Kelly, Art Ó Briain, J.C. Corballis, P.J. Fleming, M.A. Hogan, J.P. Reihill. Remuneration per annum: Mr. Brady £450, Mr. O'Kelly £1,400, other directors £150 each. No other directors; (d) one share; (e) none of the directors is a civil servant; (f) the accounts are required by Section 17 of the Minerals Exploration and Development Company Act, 1941, to be drawn up in accordance with Ministerial directions. The company has appointed the Comptroller and Auditor General as auditor each year to date. He conducts a commercial audit in accordance with the Companies Acts. The Appropriation Accounts of the Votes for Industry and Commerce contain particulars of the sums provided for the company out of voted moneys, which therefore come under review by the Committee of Public Accounts; (g) as for Aer-Rianta, Teoranta.
10. Monarchana Alcóil na h-Éireann, Teoranta. (a) £500,000 authorised, £275,763 issued; (b) £275,756; (c) two: Messrs. Almond and Van der Lee. Remuneration £100 p.a. and £1,200 p.a., respectively. Two other directors (one vacancy); (d) no legislative provision; (e) Mr. Almond's remuneration as a director is given above; Civil Service salary, basic, £900; bonus, £316 12s.; (f) the accounts are required by Section 18 of the Industrial Alcohol Act, 1938, to be drawn up in such manner as the Minister for Finance may direct. The company has appointed the Comptroller and Auditor-General as auditor each year to date. He conducts a commercial audit in accordance with the Companies Acts. Apart from a loan to cover expenses of formation, no payments have been made to the company from voted moneys and its finances do not therefore come under review by the Committee of Public Accounts; (g) as for Aer-Rianta, Teoranta.
11. Turf Development Board, Limited. (a) £10 authorised; £5 issued and paid up; (b) nil; (c) four: Messrs. R.C. Barton, C.S. Andrews, A. O'Rahilly and Senator W. Quirke. Remuneration: £150, £200, £100 and £100 per annum, respectively. No other directors; (d) no legislative provision; (e) Mr. Andrews—remuneration as director given above; Civil Service salary, basic, £800, bonus £307 5s. 0d.; (f) no; the accounts are audited by commercial auditors appointed annually by the company. The Appropriation Accounts of the Votes for Supplies (formerly Industry and Commerce) contain particulars of the sums provided for the company out of voted moneys, which therefore come under review by the Committee of Public Accounts; (g) the Minister for Industry and Commerce is responsible for the general policy of the company and his approval is required for certain categories of expenditure by the company, the remainder being left to the discretion of the directors.