asked the Minister for Finance whether any bank received more in grants from all sources in 1977 and 1981 than they paid in Irish corporation tax.

As I have indicated in reply to the Deputy's three preceding questions regarding corporation tax paid by banks, the principle of confidentiality regarding taxpayers' affairs means that figures for the amount of corporation tax paid by each bank cannot be disclosed. I am also advised that information on the amount of grants paid to each bank is not readily available on the basis of statistics as at present compiled.

In these circumstances the Deputy will appreciate that it is not possible to carry out the bank-by-bank comparison of grants received and tax paid which would be necessary in order to answer his question.

Will the Minister tell the House if he supports paying to the banks taxpayers' money which was originally intended as an incentive for productive industry? He has stated he is not prepared to tell the House the amount paid since 1977. If the Minister has not that information now I am prepared to wait for it until a later time. Further, will the Minister state why the IDA did not list the amount of such grants paid by them to the banks in line with their policy of openness?

I will take the questions in reverse order. The policy of the IDA in this matter so far as the House is concerned is a matter to be dealt with by the responsible Minister who is not the Minister for Finance.

Which Minister?

The Minister for Industry and Energy.

There was some argument about that for quite a while.

The decision was quite clear. The Minister for Industry and Energy is responsible for the IDA. A question was also asked about payment of grants and if I supported payment of grants in these circumstances. As the Deputy will appreciate, this payment arises from the fact that State grants are payable to banks as they purchase plant and machinery under the present tax arrangements for on-leasing to their customers. As they are the technical owners of the machinery in question, it is appropriate that the grants should be paid to them. Obviously this practice would be changed if the leasing arrangements in the tax code were changed. The relevant question to ask is about the arrangements in the tax code rather than about payment of grants which is purely incidental to the arrangements that exist in the tax code.

Did the Minister say the reason he did not answer the question regarding grants paid by the IDA to the banks is because of a statutory regulation, or does he consider that it would not be in the best interest of the public to know the facts?

I must make a distinction here. In regard to the tax payments, the practice of not disclosing information arises not from a statutory provision but from a well-established practice of the Revenue Commissioners — not the Minister for Finance — not to disclose tax payments by individual taxpayers or groups of taxpayers that are so small as to render the individual members liable to identification. That is a practice I have inherited and I am following it. So far as the payment of grants is concerned, that is a matter for the IDA. If they choose to disclose information, that is their choice and, in the final analysis, it is the choice of their Minister. It is not mine.