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Dáil Éireann debate -
Friday, 9 Mar 1923

Vol. 2 No. 40

DAIL IN COMMITTEE. - SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES.

Is it proposed to take the Estimates in this particular order in the paper?

I think, in view of the time that we will be able to do that. If it gets near the time and they are not certain to be got through I would ask for preference for certain Estimates. I beg to move: "That an additional sum of £149,378 be granted for the year ending 31st March, 1923, for expenditure in respect of public buildings; for the maintenance of certain parks and public works, for maintenance of drainage works on the River Shannon, and sundry grants-in-aid."

Public Works and Buildings.-The first one on the list is £149,000 for expenditure in respect of public buildings; No. 13. The total originally in the Estimate for 1922-1923 was £510,176. We find that an additional sum of £149,378 is required. From this Vote payments are made in connection with buildings, purchase and upkeep, purchase of sites, and provision of furniture and fittings. The work is carried out by the Board of Works, and from the nature of events in the last six months it is obvious that very heavy charges, entirely unforeseenable when the estimate was framed, have been thrown on this Vote, which account for over half of this Supplementary Estimate.

Purchase of Sites and Buildings £2,250.-The purchase of sites and buildings was estimated at £450, and the new Estimate, the revised Estimate, amounts to £2,250. It was essential to obtain premises at Balbriggan and Cappoquin to house detachments of the Civic Guard, the old barracks having been destroyed there. No suitable accommodation could be found which could be rented, and the only alternative was to purchase premises, for the payment of which provision is now taken.

Annuities, £57,128.-The next item, AA No. 2, sub-head "Annuities," there was no previous estimate and the sum inserted now is £57,128. These payments were not included in the original estimate, as it had not then been arranged whether they would be paid by the Free State or not, but it has now been decided that they should be so paid, and provision is included accordingly. The payments are in respect of Capital Expenditure on public buildings for the Civil Service and the War Department in Ireland. What happened in respect of these things was that usually when a site was bought a fund was opened, and liability came on the State in respect of that fund. It is that liability now that we have got to shoulder, and the amount of it for the current year is £57,128. I think that the building in Merrion Street is one of those concerned in that.

New Works, £8,000.-In the New Works, Alterations and Additions, B of Sub-heads, the original Estimate was £78,981, and the revised Estimate is £86,981, the difference being £8,000, which has to be provided, in view of the establishment of the Irish Customs. From the 1st prox., it is essential that a line of huts should be erected at suitable places along the frontier between the Free State and Northern Ireland. The work has been put in hands, and it is estimated that it will cost about £16,000, of which £8,000 will fall to be paid in the current year.

Fuel from Wolfhill Colleries, £12,000. —The next item is FF, Fuel from Wolfhill Colliery. I think that Deputies generally are aware of the advisability of purchasing coal in the home markets where possible. A contract has been entered into between the Board of Works and the Wolfhill Colliery for the supply of 20,000 tons of coal for Government use. It has been agreed that £12,000 should be paid to the company as an advance in respect of the contract, and the coal to be supplied under this contract is now being delivered. These additional supplies have been largely rendered necessary by the heavy demands for military and Civic Guard requirements.

Military and Civic Guard Buildings, £70,000.—The next item is G, Military and Civic Guard Buildings. The original Estimate was £250,000, and the revised Estimate now is £320,000. In the earlier part of the current financial year the Army authorities placed their own orders for repairs, occupation, upkeep, and supplies of furniture, required for military purposes. It has been decided that, as a matter of efficient and convenient administration, the Board of Works shall be responsible for these duties in future. And they are now engaged in checking in conjunction with the Army authorities, and, if approved, paying claims against the Army. It was not possible to forsee this at the time the Estimate was framed, or that a total additional sum of £149,378 would be required.

These estimates serve to emphasise the point that it is not fair to the Dáil that they should be asked within twelve hours, or at the most within twenty-four hours, of receiving these Estimates to enter upon a discussion on them and to pass them. The promise of a week's recess does not compensate, I think, for the shortage of time and inability to consider the matters that are placed before us, and I again formally protest against the method of presenting and bringing up Estimates practically on the same day, and asking for votes for large sums of money in this way. But on this particular Estimate I think it will be of interest to the Dáil and the public if the Minister would give us some information regarding the intention of the Ministry as to the future housing of the Government offices and the Dáil, and whether they consider that they are likely to remain in this building for any length of time in any circumstances, or whether they are proposing to make any change.

That does not arise properly on the Supplementary Estimate we are dealing with.

I said before that I admit altogether the case made by the Deputy in respect of the introduction of these Estimates. It is certainly drawing a good deal upon the patience of the Dáil to introduce these Estimates at such short notice, but I think it will be accepted at once as being almost unavoidable. These are cases in which we are at the end of our resources, and I think the Deputy himself must, perhaps, realise that the Ministry of Finance is very much now overloaded with work, so much so that I am sometimes two or three days behind in receiving reports from various Departments of the Ministry of Finance. If I had a little more time it is possible that I would be abreast of them very soon, but I am sure that the situation will ease very considerably, and that Deputies will see an improvement after the first year. I would not say in the coming year, or at any rate the early part of it, that there is a likelihood of a very marked improvement. I do say that the complaint made by the Deputy is quite legitimate, and the wonder is that it was not made before this. As regards the housing of the Government in these buildings, I have come to the conclusion, and it is borne out by many of my colleagues, that it is almost impossible to get along here owing to the congestion. There are not a sufficient number of rooms available, and there is no room for Ministers except the one outside the lobby. A good deal of the time of the Ministers is taken up by the number of "ambushes" they receive in the Government buildings everywhere as it is almost impossible to go to the corridors without somebody meeting one, and there are cases when if you are not "in" to the ordinary public you cannot get out because there is somebody outside who was informed that you were not in. I hope to be able to give some further information before long on this matter. There is a report, at present, in process of being compiled and I should say it would be possible early next month-perhaps the 2nd or 3rd week next month-to be able to put something before the Dáil with regard to that matter.

There is one item, that is item G, in regard to which I think the Minister will appreciate the point I am about to make. I am not now criticising either of the items there, or of the expenditure that will arise under other heads. At the moment I am making no criticism upon the expenditure either in regard to the Army or the Civic Guard. But it is desirable that the estimate should be brought up in a form to enable Deputies correctly to estimate the amount of expenditure required for the Army or Civic Guard. As I understand all buildings and barracks are to be transferred from this specific estimate to Public Works and buildings, which is a more convenient method, I agree. At the same time we lose sight of the total expenditure and what it may be on a future occasion if the estimates under G are divided into military and Civic Guard respectively, though I think that would be the more convenient method.

I will bear that in mind.

Motion put and agreed.
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