asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state whether balance sheets and other information concerning their affairs submitted to the prices branch of his Department by private companies, partnerships and personal businesses are released to other Government Departments; and, if so, to what extent and for what purpose.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Balance Sheets of Private Companies.
No balance sheets of private companies, partnerships and personal businesses which are submitted to the prices branch of my Department have been released to other Government Departments. Information concerning the affairs of such undertakings has, in a few instances, been conveyed by the prices branch of the Department to other Departments concerned in order that applications for the reimposition of protective duties might be fully considered by the Government.
Is the Minister aware that a recent statement made by the Minister for Social Welfare to the effect that he had seen the balance sheets of various companies has caused some doubt as to the practice of his Department in this regard? Will the Minister give an assurance that the information which the Minister for Social Welfare said he had did not come from his Department?
I am aware that the versions of what the Minister for Social Welfare is supposed to have said, given in certain newspapers and by certain speakers, may have caused trouble or some doubt in people's minds. I have given the Deputy the answer to his question.
Blame the reporters.
I am not blaming the reporters or anybody else. I am talking about the versions of what the Minister for Social Welfare is supposed to have said, given in certain newspapers and by certain speakers.
Does the Minister know what was said?
Was the Minister not reported in every newspaper as saying that he had access to the balance sheets of private companies which were not available to other people——
That is not true.
——and that if his hearers had that information they would be astonished?
I made no reference to private companies at all. The companies I had in mind were public companies——
The balance sheets of which anybody could have seen.
——whose balance sheets could be got for 1/- and the distribution of the bonus could be observed in the daily newspapers. No twisting of my words by the Deputies opposite can alter them from what they are.
Is the Minister not aware that the clear implication of the words used by the Minister for Social Welfare was that he had access to information which was not available to the public?
I have given the Deputy a very clear answer to his question.
And we can assume that the Minister for Social Welfare did not get any information from the Revenue Commissioners?
And the Minister has given the lie to the Minister for Social Welfare.
Will Deputy Lemass please repeat what he has just said?
And we can assume that the Minister for Social Welfare did not get any information from the Revenue Commissioners?
I wanted that repeated so that everybody could hear it. It is on the record.
In fact, the Minister for Social Welfare was talking through his hat, which is typical of him.
He was talking after dinner.
It is typical of your lies.