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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 4 Feb 1926

Vol. 14 No. 5

PRIVATE BUSINESS. - MONEY RESOLUTION—COINAGE BILL, 1926.

The Dáil went into Committee on Finance.

I move:—

Go bhfuil sé oiriúnach a údarú go roimh-íocfar amach as an bPrímhChiste, no as a thora fáis, na costaisí fé n-a raghfar chun aon Acht a chur in éifeacht a rithfar sa tSiosón so chun a údarú go soláthrofar agus go dtabharfar amach comharthaí coighneálta d'airgead bán, de niocal agus d'umha agus chun socrú do dhéanamh chun an choighneáil sin do regleáil agus i gcóir nithe eile a bhaineas leis na nithe sin.

That it is expedient to authorise the advance out of the Central Fund, or the growing produce thereof, of the expenses incurred in carrying into effect any Act of the present Session to authorise the provision and issue of a silver, nickel, and bronze token coinage and to provide for the regulation of such coinage and for other matters connected therewith.

As I explained to the Dáil, it is anticipated that there will be very considerable profit on the issue of the token coinage, but of course before the coins are put into circulation and before that profit can accrue there will naturally be expenses in connection with them. There will be the expense of designing, and there will be the cost of purchase of metal and of the work of minting.

Does the fact that the word "nickel" is in this Money Resolution rule out my amendment No. 2? Is the Money Resolution mandatory, and will it compel the Minister to produce nickel coinage, because I want to argue the question as to whether nickel coinage is desirable?

I do not think so.

Has the Minister taken any steps with regard to the design on the coins, and does he intend to do anything in the nature of setting up a Special Committee, not necessarily of the Dáil, but perhaps of outsiders with artistic knowledge, to deal with that—

The Minister for Fine Arts.

—so that we may have a design that would be approved by artistic people? I am sure that there is a general feeling that the artists who were responsible for designing the postage stamps were not of a very high order, and I would like to know if the Minister has any intention of dealing with the matter in that way, because if not I intend to introduce an amendment on the Report Stage of the Bill.

I do not know whether I should anticipate the promises that I will have to make in the Seanad on this matter. I do intend to set up a committee of prominent artists to advise me.

Motion put and agreed to.
The Dáil went out of Committee.
Resolution reported.
Question:—"That the Dáil agree with the Committee in the Resolution"—put and agreed to.
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