I move:—
Go ndeontar suim breise ná raghaidh thar £342,000 chun roctha an mhuirir a thiocfaidh chun bheith iníoctha i rith na bliana dar críoch an 31adh Márta, 1945, chun Tuarastail agus Costas Oifig an Aire Soláthairtí ar a n-áirítear Cúnta Airgid áirithe agus Ildeontais-i-gCabhair.
That a supplementary sum not exceeding £342,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending 31st March, 1945, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Office of the Minister for Supplies, including payment of certain Subsidies and Sundry Grants-in-Aid.
This supplementary sum is required for two main purposes. I informed the Dáil that, arising out of a shortage of coal requirements, we have arranged to procure and to transport to Dublin approximately 200,000 tons of turf for industrial needs. The turf made available for industrial use will be 64/- per ton, but selling it at that price will involve the Government in a loss. The loss in the sale of turf sold for industrial purposes will be considerably less than in the case of turf stacked in dumps and sold from dumps for domestic purposes, because it can, in the main, be transported from the bogs to the consumers, and, in any event, will be sold in quantities considerably larger than the domestic ration. It is estimated that on turf sold for industrial use a loss of about 15/- per ton will develop. On the basis of 200,000 tons sold, an additional £150,000 will be required, and that figure has been brought up to £200,000 to meet the eventuality of some turf having to be sold for industrial purposes from the dumps. In the case of turf sold from dumps the loss will be greater, because there is wastage allowance also involved. The second purpose for which this sum is required is on the construction of additional camps. On the assumption that the fuel emergency will continue to 1945, it is thought opportune to make arrangements now for increased turf production next year. One of the measures contemplated in that regard is the construction of three additional camps in the Kildare area.
Whether it will be possible to build these camps at all depends entirely on the availability of material; but on the assumption that materials will be available, we require from the Dáil the necessary financial sanction. Plans for the construction of three additional camps were made prior to the recent development in relation to fuel, which has raised doubts as to the availability of materials. Assuming that we can get the materials, we propose to proceed with these plans. The construction of the three camps will involve, it is estimated, an expenditure of £105,400; but in addition it will be necessary to undertake certain drainage works, the construction of roads, railway and loading banks, to a cost of a further £36,600, making a total sum required of £142,000. The total additional amount required, therefore, for fuel purposes in the year is £342,000, which is the amount I am now asking the Dáil to vote.