I want to raise a point, perhaps a much older point than the one raised just now. I will refer to a matter that has been raised in this House on very many occasions. I think it is a matter that will be subscribed to by members of all Parties. I would like the Minister to consider whether he will not again approach the railway companies with regard to the travelling facilities for members of the Oireachtas. As members of the House are aware, the position is that each time a Deputy desires to travel he has to get a voucher. That voucher is presented at the railway station and the Deputy is given a first-class ticket for which the State has to pay full fare. There are certain inconveniences in that procedure, and I think it would be much more satisfactory, and it might cost the State less, if there could be some system of passes the same as are given to many people in the country who have to use the railways fairly frequently. I understand that the late Government approached the railway companies on this matter, but the companies were not inclined to grant any facilities. I think the State is entitled to certain facilities from the railway company. A good deal of State money goes to the railways every year, and I think there ought to be some appreciation of that on the part of the companies. It is doubtful if there would be very much loss to the railways. It would certainly be of advantage if members of the House got some such facilities.
There is another matter that I desire to raise. Many members of the House of all Parties have spoken to me on this matter. It will be within the recollection of Deputies that a couple of years ago an Act relating to the travelling expenses of members was amended so that Deputies who might use their own motor cars would be entitled to some allowance. The position to-day is that on many occasions in the performance of their duties as members of the Dáil and in carrying out the work of their constituents Deputies find it more convenient to use their own cars rather than utilise the railways. Very often it is absolutely necessary to use a motor car and many Deputies find it more convenient to do this than to travel to Dublin by rail. The allowance made by the Department of Finance works out at something like 1½d. a mile or less. We know that certain State servants get as much as 6d. a mile. I am not suggesting that 6d. a mile for State servants is too much. When you take into account running expenses, wear and tear, and depreciation of a car, that figure is not at all too much.
I suggest it is absurd to offer 1d., 1½d. or 2d. a mile to a Deputy who is obliged to use his own car in order to reach Dublin. So far as I remember, in the Act passed by the Oireachtas it was laid down that the allowance to a member of the House who uses his own car or travels by motor bus or otherwise should not exceed the cost of a first-class railway ticket. The Ministry of Finance interpreted that in the way that the Ministry of Finance usually interprets things by not exceeding the cost of a first-class ticket. In fact, they do not give you the cost of a third-class ticket. While this may appear to be a small matter I think it is unfair, and I do not think the Minister himself, or any member of the House will contend that a Deputy should travel from his constituency to Dublin to do his business at 1½d. a mile. I know this is a matter that has been discussed between Deputies of the House. It is a matter on which members of all Parties feel to a certain extent. Therefore, I desire to raise it and, therefore, I hope that when he is replying the Minister will indicate first that he is prepared to interview or get in touch with the railway company again about getting passes under the present system, and that he will get his Department to interpret the present Act as the House intended it should be interpreted.
