Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 28 Feb 1929

Vol. 28 No. 5

Public Business. - Vote 69—Industrial and Commercial Property Registration Office.

Mr. Blythe

I move:—

Go ndeontar suim ná raghaidh thar £600 chun íoctha an Mhuirir a thiocfidh chun bheith iníoctha i rith na bliana dar críoch an 31adh lá de Mhárta, 1929, chun Tuarastail agus Costaisí na hOifige Clárathachta Maoine Tionnscail agus Tráchtála (Uimh. 16 de 1927).

That a sum not exceeding £600 be granted to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1929, for the salaries and expenses of the Industrial and Commercial Property Registration Office (No. 16 of 1927).

Mr. McGilligan

This Estimate arises because it was expected that the clerical staff of the Patent Office would have been reduced earlier than it has been found possible to do so. The staff had been swollen to a strength beyond the requirements of the Office working at normal time. It was swollen because there was a tremendous number of claims registered. It has not been found possible to reduce the staff on that account, but the retention of the staff has resulted in the earning of considerably more fees, as the amount of work done was more than anticipated. By keeping these people on the additional work has been done, and we anticipate that it will bring in the current year £5,000 more than expected.

Mr. Lemass

It appears that there has been an increase in the clerical staff, not merely in the number of temporary officers, but also in the number of permanent ones. Is it anticipated that that increase in the permanent staff will be necessary?

Mr. McGilligan

The Office will undergo a certain process of reconstruction once the work becomes normal, but I do not know what staff will be required until the work gets normal. The greater number of those engaged are temporary, but there may be people who were established and transferred to the Patent Office on loan. I am not familiar with all the details of the Office, and I do not think that anyone could say what the strength of the staff will be until the work becomes normal.

Mr. Lemass

If the staff is transferred on loan the cost of salaries would not appear here.

Mr. McGilligan

Surely.

Mr. Lemass

The number of clerical officers increased from 47 to 54. That is irrespective of the twelve temporary clerks and other officials. Is it the Minister's opinion that the work which the Office is going to do normally will be so considerably in excess of the Estimate that the staff will be increased?

Mr. McGilligan

It is possible that with the disappearance of the temporary staff there will be need for more permanent staff.

Mr. Lemass

Both have happened in this case.

Mr. McGilligan

That may be due to the fact of transfers from the unestablished to the established staff. No one can yet say what the permanent staff is going to be. A tremendous number of claims were registered simply for the sake of priority. These were piling up, and a tremendous lot of work had to be got through. We had not anything like a normal year to consider what is normal work. I would not venture on an estimate as to what the permanent staff is likely to be.

Mr. Lemass

Could the Minister say whether the office has been worked during the year? I notice that the Chief Examiner of Patents got only £137 instead of £500 in the original estimate. It would appear that he was working only for a short portion of the year.

Mr. McGilligan

That is all.

Mr. Lemass

Is it a fact that the office has only been working for a portion of the year?

Mr. McGilligan

The Chief Examiner assumed office on the 15th October, but that does not mean that the office was not working because he was not there.

Mr. Lemass

The Comptroller was not there either.

Mr. McGilligan

There was a Comptroller there when the office opened. He went to another post, and then there had to be a Selection Board appointment until another was made. The Comptroller's salary was saved for a certain portion of the year.

Vote put and agreed to.