Before the Report is adopted, I think the Minister should explain why he has put this sum on the Estimates rather than on the Central Fund.
COMMITTEE ON FINANCE. - DAIL RESUMES.
Resolution reported.
Because I think it is undesirable if we can avoid it to put great charges like this on the Central Fund. If I were to consider having consistency as between the two parts of the agricultural grant, I would remove the other portion from the Central Fund, and make it to be voted by the Oireachtas and provided annually. There is the fact that this is not definitely a fixed sum. I do not contemplate the reduction of it next year, and I do not say it will be necessary to reduce the amount. It might well be that instead of providing this sum in this particular form, that some more effective way of assisting agriculture could be found, and that the grant might not be a permanent charge. Of course, it could be put on the Central Fund as a fixed charge, but I think it is undesirable to pay out such a big sum as practically £1,200,000 without any word being spoken about it. I cannot see any objection to bringing the matter before the Dáil, but there are certain reasons for not disturbing the existing agricultural grant, and the relation it has to the guarantee fund at present. I see no reason why we should add another payment of nearly £600,000 per annum to the payments made without any discussion. In general, I am in favour of having all sums voted annually and reviewed by the Dáil.
Does the Minister say that it would be better that the whole agricultural grant, instead of being on the Central Fund, should come up here to be voted every year on the Estimates?
That is my feeling, but I am not proposing to make any change at present.
Is that the procedure at the other side of the Channel—that the provision for the original agricultural grant is dealt with in this fashion?
I do not know the practice on the other side.
What we want to have explained is why when portion of this money is dealt with through the Central Fund the whole of it is not dealt with in that way? It certainly has not yet reached the English standard of the grant. It is like taking the same money out of both pockets when you could equally well take it out of one.
Taking it out of the second pocket will provide the Dáil with an opportunity next year of discussing this particular payment, and certain other things, perhaps, in relation to agriculture.
And, I suppose, of putting into practice the theories of the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs?
Resolution, as reported, agreed to.