I move:—
Go ndeontar suim Bhreíse ná raghaidh thar £200 chun íoctha an Mhuirir a thiocfaidh chun bheith iníoctha i rith na bliana dar críoch an 31adh lá de Mhárta, 1934, chun Tuarastail agus Costaisí na bhFundúireachtaí Eolaíochta agus Ealadhan agus Ildeontaisí i gCabhair, etc.
That a Supplementary sum not exceeding £200 be granted to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending 31st March, 1934, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Institutions of Science and Art and sundry Grants-in-Aid, etc.
This sum is required to defray expenses in connection with the making of a short sound film, or talkie, in Irish. These expenses include only the cost of material and similar actual expenditure incurred by the company (the Gainsborough Pictures, Ltd.) in the making of the film, and the travelling and other expenses incurred in sending an Irish storyteller to the London Studio of the company for the purpose of synchronising the sound with the pictorial film.
It should be explained that this proposal is not to be taken as meaning that the Government has embarked on any scheme for providing Irish talkies or pictures. The proposal arose from the circumstance that Mr. Robert J. Flaherty, the distinguished film artist employed by the Gainsborough Company, was engaged for some time in making a film in the Aran Islands, and it was felt that this offered an excellent opportunity to have a short film, or curtain-raiser, in the Irish language made. Mr. Flaherty welcomed the suggestion and gave every assistance, as did also the authorities of the Gainsborough Company, who are giving the use of their machines, studios, etc., without charge for the purpose, the only expenses to be borne by the State, as I already mentioned, being the cost of materials and the expenses of sending a storyteller to London. It is intended to send a person with him. The picture will represent a storyteller, telling a story in Irish to an Aran audience, and will occupy not more than 15 minutes.