asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state what amount was appropriated in each financial year from 1931 to 1948 to subsidise the price of fertilisers, and what was actually spent on this service in each of these financial years.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Fertiliser Subsidies.
Mr. Walsh
As the answer is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to circulate it with the Official Report.
The statement is as follows:—No subsidies were provided until the financial year 1938-39. The amounts granted and the amount expended to subsidise the price of artificial fertilisers in each financial year from 1938-39 to 1948-49 were as follows:—
SUBSIDIES ON FERTILISERS.
|
Year |
Granted |
Expended |
||
|
£ |
£ |
|||
|
1938/39 |
40,000 |
37,292 |
2 |
4 |
|
1939/40 |
98,000 |
86,790 |
4 |
4 |
|
1940/41 |
89,000 |
94,442 |
11 |
3 |
|
1941/42 |
85,000 |
52,876 |
8 |
8 |
|
1942/43 |
5 |
Nil |
||
|
(original) |
||||
|
800,000 |
323,441 |
16 |
5 |
|
|
(supplementary) |
||||
|
1943/44 |
634,010 |
259,210 |
14 |
7 |
|
1944/45 |
500,000 |
806 |
19 |
8 |
|
1945/46 |
120,000 |
15,719 |
11 |
4 |
|
1946/47 |
77,400 |
30,421 |
3 |
5 |
|
1947/48 |
198,750 |
19,057 |
12 |
7 |
|
1948/49 |
250,250 |
1,375 |
18 |
8 |
Because you would be ashamed to read it out. I want to ask respectfully that the Minister read out this list of figures. Will you, Sir, withhold your permission for its incorporation in the Official Report? It consists of about 17 figures, and I want him to read it out.
The Chair has no power to compel any Minister to answer a question in any particular form.
I submit that the Minister can only print his answer and circulate it with the Official Report by leave of the Chair, and the Chair has frequently pointed out that Ministers must ask for that leave. If the Chair withholds it, the Minister must read out the answer.
The Minister has said that he will circulate it with the Official Report, with my permission. I have never known such permission to be withheld by the Chair.
I am asking you to withhold it now because the Minister is ashamed to read out the figures.