asked the Minister for Finance if he will state the amount of currency made available to importers to enable them to import afgaline and the country from which the material was imported.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Import of Afgaline.
No allocation of dollars has been made available to importers in the years 1951, 1952 or 1953 (to date) for the purchase of afgaline as such. I understand that apart from Britain, from which imports may be made freely as far as currency is concerned, the principal external sources of supply are Italy and the Netherlands. It may be that some part of the currency made available under general authorisations to import textiles was used for the purchase of afgaline abroad, but the records of payments for imports kept in my Department do not distinguish between afgaline and other textiles in such a manner as would enable me to answer the Deputy's question.