Vol. 101 No. 4
I move:—
That a sum not exceeding £88,600 be granted to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending the 31st day of March, 1947, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Houses of the Oireachtas, including a Grant-in-Aid.
On Vote No. 2 it appears to me, and I think it must appear to most of the Deputies in this House, that when both Houses are sitting here the entire staff, particularly the Reporting Staff, are grossly overworked, and I think some arrangement should be made whereby additional staff would be provided, particularly in relation to the Reporters. When the Seanad and Dáil are sitting four days a week there is a good deal of work to be done. An extra burden of work is thrown on all the members of the staff; but I think the Reporters are the worst sufferers in that respect. I would like to ask the Parliamentary Secretary if it could not be found possible to supplement the Reporters, or supplement the assistance given to them, in respect of occasions when the two Houses are sitting together over a long period such as we have had from January up to the present time.
My information is that provision has been made for additional casual reporters but it is fairly difficult to procure such staff.
I appreciate that it is; but I think it is obvious that when the two Houses sit together over a long period the staff are kept pretty hard at it.
I wonder would the Parliamentary Secretary tell us why it has been found necessary to increase the contribution under sub-head J. If £309 was sufficient last year I think the conditions this year are somewhat similar and I can see no reason for the increase.
That is for the restaurant.
Why has it been found necessary to jump the restaurant contribution from £309 to £500?
That I cannot say, offhand.
I think the usual procedure is that £500 is voted and £309 was the actual amount spent last year.
How is the figure arrived at?
The annual sum voted cannot exceed £500. The actual amount spent last year was £309. We are asked to vote £500 this year. We do not know how much will be spent, but it cannot exceed £500.
