asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state the securities issued to the public since 1942 registered as having been so issued with the Dublin or Cork Stock Exchanges.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Issue of Securities.
I am advised that the information sought by the Deputy is not readily available and that the compilation of it would be a long and tedious job.
It is possible that sufficient information for the Deputy's purpose may be found in the annual report of the Registrar of Companies which is laid annually on the table of the House.
Would the Minister consider getting the information, because without it it is not possible adequately to discuss the section in the Finance Bill which the Minister for Finance has indicated he proposes introducing, particularly in view of the fact that the information must have been available to the members of the committee who wrote the pamphlet "Capital for Industry".
I am informed that part of the information sought by the Deputy could be secured by having recourse to extracts from 400 files relating to public companies in the Companies Registration Office. I do not think all that work is necessary in order to enable the Deputy to discuss the Finance Bill.
Has the Minister asked the registrars of the Cork and Dublin Stock Exchanges for the information?
They say they could do it after a great deal of expenditure and over a very considerable period of time.
Is the Minister satisfied that the Minister for Finance has not got the information in his office?
Quite satisfied.
The Minister for Finance should look again.