I move:—
That a supplementary sum not exceeding £81,050 be granted to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending 31st March, 1951, 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.
There are quite a number of increases set out under the different headings here. The printing increase is due to the increased cost of printing. A certain amount of the expenditure was unforeseen, because costs did not show any sign of rising when the original estimates were prepared. Under the heading of paper, that increase again is due to the fact that increases in the prices of paper have occurred. These were unforeseen and they are quite heavy. The same applies with regard to binding. There are certain departmental requirements which now cost more than we thought they would. The other matters are small, excepting the item miscellaneous office supplies. That increase is partly due to stockpiling; in fact, to a considerable extent. The greater part will be for extra stock reserves which will mainly be in regard to typewriting machines.