asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if it is intended to place on the Table of Dáil Éireann details of the proposals to build and operate an oil refinery which have been submitted by certain oil companies and have been accepted by him.

It is not the practice to place the details of industrial proposals on the Table of this House and I see no reason for doing so in the case of the proposals in question.

Do these proposals involve any commitment by the Government?

A commitment to establish the industry, with which, I think, everybody agrees. If the Deputy is concerned about the public interest, he may be satisfied that every necessary step has been taken to safeguard the public interest in this matter.

I am certain that the Minister has not misunderstood me. Will any undertaking be given by the Government which will bind future Governments?

Is the Deputy trying to sabotage the refinery?

Remember what you did.

The Deputy may be satisfied that, if this Government ever leaves office, it will leave the Deputy a first-class oil refinery.

Is there any reason why the Minister should try to evade a reply to my question? Are any commitments being entered into which will be of a binding character as between the Government here and the promoters of this undertaking?

It is a pity that the Deputy did not put that question to himself in connection with some other industries which he established here.

Why can I not get a reply to my question? Why is the Minister trying to evade?

Because he has given them.

If the Deputy confines his expansive mind to greyhounds, he will do a service to the oil refinery and employment.

That is all the Government has to put before the House. As I said yesterday, when the country is going to the dogs, all the Government can think about is greyhounds.

The Deputy should play with a little dog. Deputy Lemass should understand that the establishment of an industry, an industry in this case involving the investment of £12,000,000, necessarily involves discussion with the promoting authority, in which they ask certain questions: can they do certain things; will they be allowed to do certain things; and under what conditions can they do certain things? These are inevitable questions with which, I am sure, Deputy Lemass is familiar. These questions had all to be answered in dealing with this company and, finally, an arrangement has been made satisfactory to the company and, I think, satisfactory to the Irish people. The public interest has been adequately safeguarded in this matter. Now, may I put it to Deputy Lemass, as a responsible Deputy, that it is clearly undesirable that a matter of this importance, holding out so much promise for the people of the whole country, and particularly the area concerned, should be made a plaything of politics and Party politics, at that, in this House? I make this offer to Deputy Lemass and I make it to him as a responsible member of the Opposition: I will show him, in confidence, what has been discussed with this company.

I do not want to see it.

I am quite sure, if the Deputy sees it, he will feel a good job has been done; and let us all take joy in the fact that we are going to have an oil refinery at last.

The Labour Party having sabotaged it in 1935.

I asked the Minister for information. I had no reason to think the information would be refused until the Minister spoke. May I put the question this way: is there any need, or intention, to promote legislation in relation to this undertaking on the lines of the Cement Act?

No need whatever. I will make this offer to the Deputy: I will show him in confidence, as a responsible Deputy, the agreement that has been arrived at, and I am sure that, like myself, he will take satisfaction in the fact that we will have a first-class oil refinery in this country.

I do not want to hear anything in confidence.

The Dáil is entitled to know.