asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state the number of non-paying passengers carried by the s.s. "Irish Pine" on her first transatlantic crossing, and if his consent was sought in respect of each of these said passengers and the reasons assigned for the extension by the company of these invitations to travel.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - S.S. “Irish Pine.”
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is in a position to state (a) the cost to Irish Shipping Limited of the first outward and return journey of the s.s. "Irish Pine"; and (b) the amount expended in respect of the various passengers carried by s.s. "Irish Pine" on said journey.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 61 and 62 together, with your permission, a Chinn Chomhairle. These questions relate to matters which fall entirely to be settled by the board of Irish Shipping, Limited, and normally I would not feel under any obligation to give the information which the Deputy seeks, nor would I ask the board for such information. Lest there may be misunderstanding, however, I think it desirable to make the following statement:—
The arrangements for the maiden voyage of the s.s. "Irish Pine" to the United States were made by Irish Shipping, Limited. It was represented to the board by the company's American agents that the maximum possible publicity should be derived from the voyage, and that representatives of the company should travel with the ship in order that they could be present at receptions which were to be given in the United States. At the request of the board, the chairman and one of the joint managers of the company agreed to make the journey; and, in view of the season of the year at which the maiden voyage was made, the company invited the chairman to be accompanied by his wife and daughter, and the joint manager to be accompanied by his wife. The party were accompanied by a chaplain so that they should not be deprived of the opportunity of hearing Mass on Christmas Day and on the Sundays and Holydays spent at sea. I was informed in advance about all these arrangements and they had my complete and unqualified approval.
As I have indicated, the number of non-paying passengers carried on this maiden voyage was six. I do not think it necessary, even if it were practicable, to give the figures of cost which have been asked for by the Deputy, nor to give particulars of the freights earned from the cargo carried.
I may, perhaps, add that the chairman, who, I may mention, receives no fees for his services as a director of the company, wished to pay the standard fares for his wife and daughter, but the board refused to agree to his doing so, as it is the settled policy and practice of the company not to carry fare-paying passengers on maiden voyages of their ships. The chairman paid out of his own pocket all the expenses of his wife and daughter in the United States.
In conclusion, I can say without hesitation that, from my personal observation in the United States, the arrangements made by the board were completely justified by the results and that the favourable publicity secured in America was out of all proportion to the comparatively trifling expenditure involved.