I move:—
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, 1948, for certain Transport Services and for the Salaries and Expenses of the Marine Service (Merchant Shipping Acts, 1894 to 1939, and the Foreshore Act, 1933 (No 12 of 1933)); for certain payments in respect of Compensation, including the cost of medical treatment (No. 19 of 1946); and for payments in connection with the provision of certain Protective Equipment for Ships.
This is in connection with the Dún Aengus which operates between Galway and the Aran Islands. It is required to meet the subsidies, which were increased to £900, £600 of which has to be met in the current financial year, leaving £300, which will be met in the main Estimate. The main part of this Estimate is due to the fact that this boat foundered off Inishmaan and was very badly damaged, with the result that it had to be towed to Cork where repairs were carried out. There was a substantial amount of looting, and so on. I should explain that most of the sum will be recovered from the insurance company but in the meantime it is necessary that this money should be provided in order that the service would not be interrupted.