Vol. 232 No. 6
I move:
That it is expedient to authorise such payments out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas as are necessary to give effect to any Act of the present session to prohibit the smelting of ores or ore concentrates except under licence granted by the Minister for Industry and Commerce, to make provision in relation to such licences and to provide for other matters connected with the matters aforesaid.
Perhaps the Minister could explain under which section or under what heading the expenditure of money under this Bill is required? It is far from apparent to me.
The Deputy will be aware that the Bill provides, in connection with licences which might be granted, for the possibility of application to alter the terms of the licence and, furthermore, for the possibility of prosecution for offences under the Bill which might entail investigation. I do not say these are exclusively the cause and the manner in which the expenditure might be required, but they are some of them.
My understanding of a Money Resolution in this situation is that unless it is necessary to employ additional staff in the shape of inspectors, and so on, the money is not required for that case, and authorisation for that is included in the Appropriation Bill and the Volume of Estimates. It is news to me that a Money Resolution should be solely required for the purposes of the prosecutions mentioned. There must be something hidden as well in this. There must be some other reason for this and the Minister should tell the House what else is involved.
The Deputy will also be aware that whether or not a Money Resolution requires to be moved is not for the Minister concerned.
But the Minister, in my experience, has to give to the authorities here an indication, if it is not apparent, of what money will be spent under the Bill—unless it is obviously apparent on the face of it.
I think the reasons I have given must have been considered sufficient by the authorities here.
Would the Minister make a specific inquiry and give a specific answer on the next Stage of the Bill?
Yes; I will undertake to do that.
I was waiting for the Minister to finish his conversation. Might I make it clear that everybody in this House wants to have a smelter in Ireland and if any part of the terms of the Money Resolution is required effectively to have a smelter in Ireland, nobody will object to the Money Resolution in the slightest, but I will discuss that with the Minister at a later stage. I am afraid the way the Minister has gone about this Bill has been effectively to prevent the operation of a smelter in Ireland, not to provide the money for a smelter if that would bring one effectively about.
I agree with the first part but I do not agree with the second part of the Deputy's contention.
We will have an opportunity of showing in a moment why.
