Tairgim:—
Go ndeonfar suim fhorlíontach nach mó ná £25,000 chun íoctha an mhuirir a thiocfas chun bheith iníoctha i rith na bliana dar críoch an 31ú lá de Mhárta, 1952, chun Tuarastal agus Costas Oifig an Aire Thailte agus Oifig Choimisiún Talún na hEireann (44 agus 45 Vict., c. 49, alt 46, agus c. 71, alt 4; 48 agus 49 Vict., c. 73, ailt 17, 18 agus 20; 54 agus 55 Vict., c. 48; 3 Edw. 7, c. 37; 7 Edw. 7, c. 38 agus c. 56; 9 Edw. 7, c. 42; Uimh. 27 agus 42 de 1923; Uimh. 25 de 1925; Uimh. 11 de 1926; Uimh. 19 de 1927; Uimh. 31 de 1929; Uimh. 11 de 1931; Uimh. 33 agus 38 de 1933; Uimh. 11 de 1934; Uimh. 41 de 1936; Uimh. 26 de 1939; Uimh. 12 de 1946; Uimh. 25 de 1949; agus Uimh. 16 de 1950).
That a supplementary sum not exceeding £25,000 be granted to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1952, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Offices of the Minister for Lands and of the Irish Land Commission (44 & 45 Vict., c. 49, sec. 46, and c. 71, sec. 4; 48 & 49 Vict., c. 73, secs. 17, 18 and 20; 54 & 55 Vict., c. 48; 3 Edw. 7, c. 37; 7 Edw. 7, c. 38 and c. 56; 9 Edw. 7, c. 42; Nos. 27 and 42 of 1923; No. 25 of 1925; No. 11 of 1926; No. 19 of 1927; No. 31 of 1929; No. No. 11 of 1934; No. 41 of 1936; No. 26 of 1939; No. 12 of 1946; No. 25 of 1949; and No. 16 of 1950).
Is gá an Meastachan forlíontach seo mar gheall ar an méadú i dtuarastail agus in abhar tógála i rith na bliana seo caite, rud a mhéadaigh costas tithíochta faoi Choimisiún na Talún. Tá soláthairtí le h-aghaidh na n-oibreacha seo le fáil faoi Mhírcheann (1) (Feabhsú estát, etc.). Dob í an tsuim a deonadh faoin Mírcheann sin i rith na bliana ná £390,000; si an tsuim bhreise atá riachtanach ná £65,000—méadú sé faoin gcéad. An t-airgead a sábháladh—go háirithe faoi Mhírcheann A (Tuarastail, Páighe agus liúntaisí) bainfear úsaid as sin chun £40,000 den mhéadú do choth-romú agus fágann sin £25,000 le deonadh.
This Supplementary Estimate is necessary by reason of the increases in wages and prices of materials during the past 12 months which have raised the cost of Land Commission building works. These works are provided for under sub-head I (Improvement of Estates, etc.) and the original sum granted under that sub-head for the current year was £390,000; the additional amount required is £65,000, which represents an increase of one-sixth. Savings elsewhere on the Vote, mainly under sub-head A (salaries, wages and allowances), will meet £40,000 of the increase, leaving a balance of £25,000 to be granted.
With regard to wages, as Deputies know, it is the rates payable by the county councils which, during the year, increased by about 13 per cent. Over the country as a whole, but the consequent increase in Land Commission expenditure is estimated at 23 per cent. owing to the varying rates of wages and different scales of operations from county to county. In Counties Galway and Mayo about one-fourth of the total improvement expenditure of the Land Commission is incurred and in these counties during the past year the rate was increased in Galway from 60/- to 72/-, or by 20 per cent., and in Mayo from 62/- to 80/-, or 29 per cent.
With regard to materials there have also been increases in progress under the items required for building purposes. The total cost of housing operations under this sub-head is estimated to have increased by about 25 per cent. during the year. About 76 dwelling-houses and 95 out-offices have been placed for contract during the year and a certain amount of work has been done by direct labour, in which case a contract is placed for the material—18 houses and 27 out-houses.