asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state what is the relation between the Saorstát and British Governments in connection with the control of the Irish Lights services, and when will these services come directly under the control of the Executive Council.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - IRISH LIGHTS CONTROL.
The Irish Lights Service, while directly administered by the Commissioners of Irish Lights, continues up to the present to be financed out of the General Lighthouse Fund, which is controlled by the British Government. Further arrangements regarding this service are still the subject of investigation in the light of the provision contained in the Annex to the Treaty. Further discussion with the British Government will be required in order to reach a solution, and the necessary steps are being taken accordingly.
In view of the fact that the Irish Lights are still being governed from Trinity House, will the Minister say why there is differential treatment meted out to the Irish members of this service as compared with the English? Is he aware that the people in the English lighthouses or lightships have received an increase in wages in the last six months and the Irishmen have not. Why is this?
I rather lost touch with this matter in the period in which I was ill last summer when something was done. I know one reason why the increases were not given here that were given on the other side was that the people in control of the fund were not willing to give them that without our assent, pending some financial arrangement which we were hoping for a long time, and until that comes we are unwilling to assent. It is a matter largely of finance. We do not want to take over the running of the Irish Lights for the mere honour and glory of the thing, and we can only take it over when fair arrangements are made in regard to the finance of them. The light dues paid by the ships that benefit by these lighthouses come into the General Lighthouse Fund, and until some arrangement is made I do not think we can very well agree to an expenditure which might fall heavily upon our shoulders if we had to take over the lights under an unsatisfactory agreement. While I cannot answer directly the question the Deputy put without notice, I indicate that as the principal reason.
Is it optional so far as the Irish Government are concerned with them to take over the Irish Lights or to refuse, and if they refuse to take them over and it is their policy to leave them as they are, is it fair for them to interfere and prevent Irish people from getting the same remuneration as the English?
It is not our policy to refuse them or to leave them as they are, but, as I say, we do not want to take them over for the mere honour and glory of doing so.