I move:—
Go ndeontar suim Bhreise ná raghaidh thar £10 chun íoctha an Mhuirir a thiocfaidh chum bheith iníoctha i rith na bliana dar críoch an 31adh Márta, 1935, chun Tuarastail agus Costaisí an Oireachtais, maraon le Deontas-i-gCabhair.
That a Supplementary sum not exceeding £10 be granted to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending 31st March, 1935, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Oireachtas, including a Grant-in-Aid.
As indicated on the face of the Estimate, the supplementary provision asked for is required for the purpose of a contribution from State Funds towards the Oireachtas Restaurant, the contribution to take the form of a payment to the caterer of such amount as the Minister for Finance may determine in recoupment of the excess expenses of catering as shown by certified accounts. The total sum required in the current financial year is £500, but as savings are anticipated on other sub-heads of the Vote, a token provision of only £10 is being asked for. As the House is aware, in 1933 it was decided that the Restaurant services should be handed over to outside caterers. This was duly done and, as a result of the first year's trading, a substantial loss was incurred by the caterers. It has arisen mainly because of the high wages bill for service of food; the spasmodic rushes of business on two or three days, and the small receipts which are forthcoming during the rest of the week while, at the same time, a permanent staff has to be maintained. The caterers, in indicating their position to the Ceann Comhairle, stated that they were anxious to continue as caterers, but that they had not anticipated such a heavy loss as has, in fact, been incurred during the year, and asked that some alleviation might be afforded them. In the meantime, the Ceann Comhairle and the Cathaoirleach had renewed the catering agreement for a further period of one year from April 1st, 1934. In connection with the Restaurant service generally, the Ceann Comhairle had enunciated the following principles, which have been accepted by the Minister for Finance, viz.: (1) That the provision of good food, well served and at a reasonable cost, must be considered as a necessary service if members are to discharge their Parliamentary duties effectively; (2) that the main purpose of the Restaurant should be, therefore, the provision of such a service and not the making of profits; (3) that if the proper working of the Restaurant should involve a loss some part of such loss should be borne by the State in the interests of the service; (4) that ample provision should be made from State Funds for the proper working of the Restaurant, such as maintenance and improvements, light and heat, cutlery, ware and utensils.
The whole position has recently been most carefully considered in the light of the foregoing principles and in view of the caterers' representations and experience. The conclusion has been reached that if a proper service is to be given it is necessary that the Restaurant be kept open during Recess periods, with a view, for one thing, to obviate the need for the frequent discharge and re-employment of staff which otherwise might arise. It may be taken, in view of the intermittent nature of the business, that it would not be feasible to retain the services of outside caterers unless some provision is made to recoup them in part, at any rate, for any losses they may incur on the service. It is accordingly proposed to make provision in the annual Estimates for the Oireachtas for a contribution to be paid, at the discretion of the Minister for Finance, in recoupment of the expenses of catering as shown by certified accounts.
It is not the intention, so far as the present caterers are concerned, that any loss should be recouped in full, and as I said, the firm are not looking for that. It has been agreed that the present caterers will continue the catering services for the present subject to the following new conditions, viz.—(1) No charge will be made for rent. (2) The arrangements as to replacement, cleaning, laundry, etc., will remain unchanged. (3) The caterers' tariff will provide for certain additional charges. (4) In the event of a loss accruing on the year's trading as shown by certified accounts, recoupment will be made of half the expenditure on fuel, plus a further payment not exceeding half the loss as ascertained after deduction of the total expenditure on fuel. I understand this arrangement is satisfactory to the caterers. It has been ascertained that they are prepared to accept a payment of £500 as an offset against the losses incurred in the first year of their trading. This payment will be made from the provision in the present Supplementary Estimate.
