I move:—
That a supplementary sum not exceeding £28,000 be granted to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending the 31st day of March, 1950, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Stationery Office; for Stationery, Printing, Paper, Binding, and Printed Books for the Public Service; and for sundry Miscellaneous Services, including Reports of Oireachtas Debates.
Deputies will see that the additions required are under four heads, but the two main heads are H and K — that is to say, the printing and the binding of publications that come from the Stationery Office. For a long time, on account of the scarcity of skilled labour, it has not been possible to secure the services required. Latterly there has been a considerable increase in output and that has led to accounts being sent in and a speedier settlement being required. That refers to sub-heads H and K more particularly.
With regard to sub-head G, although I made a cut last year in the Estimate I said I would consider bringing it back, paying, as far as the periodicals published in Irish were concerned, the same amount as was paid in the year before. That is the reason for the additional sum of £2,500. There is a little saving on the Vote over last year, but that is in respect of the publication of current news in Irish. There is not much actually in the way of saving.
The difference in regard to sub-head J — Miscellaneous Office Supplies — is due to this, that more machinery is necessary. The machinery for which this sum of £9,650 is required has been brought into the office. They are mainly secretarial and calculating machines and they will lead to the more efficient discharge of the work.