I move:—
Go ndeontar suim ná raghaidh thar £20,000 chun slánuithe na suime is gá chun íoctha an Mhuirir a thiocfidh chun bheith iníoctha i rith na bliana dar críoch an 31adh lá de Mhárta, 1927, chun Costaisí fén Representation of the People Act, 1918, fén Acht Timpeal Toghachán, 1923, agus fé Acht na gCoistí Dháréag (Leasú), 1924.
That a sum not exceeding £20,000 be granted to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1927, for Expenses under the Representation of the People Act, 1918, the Electoral Act, 1923, and the Juries (Amendment), Act, 1924.
I explained at some length last year how these figures were made up. The expenses of registration are divided into four parts: (a) expenses of secretaries or clerks of county or district councils, (b) expenses of rate collectors, (c) expenses of printing, (d) other expenses, which include extra clerical assistance and unforeseen expenses. The State contributes one-fourth of the expenses under (a) because it is estimated that the work involved concerns jury and franchise matters about equally. The State, under the existing practice, contributes nothing for the jury portion and half for the franchise portion—that is, a quarter of the whole. In the case of rate collectors, it is estimated that the trouble of the jurors' work is about half that of the franchise work. That is to say, the State contribution is half of the franchise element of two-thirds, which is one-third of the whole. In regard to printing, it is estimated that the jury column in the list costs one-seventh of the whole, and that is a local charge. The remaining six-sevenths of the printing costs is for franchise work, and half of this is borne by the State and half by the local authority. The cost of printing is borne on the Stationery Office Vote. The remaining expenses are equally divided. The Department of Local Government and Public Health estimate that the charge for recoupment in respect of registers of electors, already prepared, will amount to £14,000 as against £21,000 last year. The register now in preparation will necessitate an additional £20,000 for recoupment, of which it is expected that not more than £15,000 will be required in the present financial year. The claims are not paid until the county councils have paid to the Stationery Office their share of the cost of printing the register.