asked the Minister for Finance if he will state what permits for dollars have been issued since 1st October, 1951, to date for the purchase of consumer goods as defined in the White Paper recently presented by him to Dáil Éireann and the amount of dollars allocated in respect of each category of such goods.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dollars for Consumer Goods.
The total value of the exchange control approvals, which do not and cannot correspond with payments, issued from 1st October, 1951, to 16th February, 1952, for dollar imports of the consumption goods indicated in Table VI of the White Paper was $11,918,000; of this $3,054,000 was in respect of food, drink and manufactured tobacco, and the remainder, $8,864,000, in respect of other consumption goods. The figures given include, where particulars are available, the cost of dollar freights attributable to such goods.
The total approvals during the period, amounting to $11.9 million approximately, included $2.9 million in respect of sugar for domestic consumption and $8.4 million in respect of household coal. The remaining $6,000,000 covered 16 other items and, as the Deputy may require details of these commodities, I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to have a table circulated with the Official Report.
EXCHANGE CONTROL APPROVALS GIVEN FROM 1ST OCTOBER, 1951 TO 16TH FEBRUARY, 1952, FOR THE IMPORTATION OF CONSUMPTION GOODS FROM THE DOLLAR AREA.
Description of Goods |
Amount approved |
|
FOOD, DRINK AND TOBACCO: |
$ |
|
1. Peas and beans (dried) |
100,900 |
|
2. Coffee |
55,200 |
|
3. Sugar for domestic consumption |
2,891,500 |
|
4. Whiskey |
1,800 |
|
5. Manufactured tobacco |
4,900 |
|
TOTAL |
3,054,300 |
|
OTHER CONSUMPTION GOODS: |
||
6. Household Coal |
8,366,600 |
|
7. Photographic Apparatus and Appliances |
24,000 |
|
8. Electric Cooking Apparatus |
700 |
|
9. Petroleum lamp oil |
44,800 |
|
10. Lubricating oil |
1,000 |
|
11. Turpentine |
7,900 |
|
12. Paraffin wax |
3,300 |
|
13. Periodicals |
73,100 |
|
14. Books |
26,900 |
|
15. Spectacles and parts |
3,500 |
|
16. Pens and pencils |
12,600 |
|
17. Surgical dressings |
2,800 |
|
18. CHEMICALS: |
$ |
|
(a) Acids |
160 |
296,300 |
(b) Disinfectants, insecticides, etc. |
160 |
|
(c) Essences and extracts |
300 |
|
(d) Medicines and medicinal preparations |
291,480 |
|
(e) Other chemical manufactures and products |
4,200 |
|
8,863,500 |
||
GRAND TOTAL |
11,917,800 |
NOTE:—The figure for household coal includes $4.4 ml. approximately, for ocean freight In the case of most of the other items the amounts represent f.o.b. costs only.