There was a question in connection with railways that was left over from last night on which I was asked to make a statement. It had really arisen on another Vote. It is a matter of the advance to the Londonderry and Lough Swilly Company in respect of the working of the Londonderry and Burtonport, Letterkenny and Buncrana Railways. The situation really was this: that you have the Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway Co. and the other lines worked as part of the undertaking, in which three lines the Government is financially interested. They comprise a mileage of almost 100 miles. The three Government lines total about 84½ miles of that. During the period of the British control great loss accrued on the working of these lines, the actual figures of which are not absolutely ascertainable, but in the year 1924 it was discovered that there was a loss of £8,000 odd, and in order to preserve the railway communication in the county in that year the Government advanced to the company a sum of £7,240 on account of the loss of the working of the three lines. This year a similar situation was found to have arisen, and the directors of the company came up and interviewed representatives of the Government. As a result of that interview, and having looked into their accounts and the whole financial position, the Government were faced with the alternative either of allowing the railways to cease operations in the county or else subsidising them to a certain extent. Having satisfied themselves fully from an examination of the audited and certified accounts of the company that their cash reserves were exhausted, an agreement was come to that a further maximum advance of £7,000 was to be made. That was to be paid quarterly, and that is the sum that is set down here. The only basis on which it was made was: was it sound to allow railways to cease operating in Tirconaill, or was it advisable to keep them in existence, even at a cost of the £7,000? On the whole, a decision had to be taken that a subsidy was to be given, and the subsidy is accordingly put forward for acceptance by the Oireachtas.
COMMITTEE ON FINANCE. - TIRCONAILL RAILWAYS.
On what page is that?
It is under Vote 52. We had voted it really last evening, but the item in which it was included passed certain Deputies' notice.
It is supplementary.