asked the Minister for Finance if he will state (a) the extent to which advances to (1) Electricity Supply Board, (2) Local Loans Fund, (3) Bord na Móna, (4) Córas Iompair Éireann and (5) for the redemption of National Loans were financed out of the American Loan Counterpart Fund between the dates 15th June, 1951, and 31st December, 1951, inclusive; (b) the total amounts advanced for these purposes from 1st April, 1951, to 30th June, 1951, and in each of the subsequent months of that financial year; and (c) what Supplementary Estimates were introduced in the period 15th June to 31st December, 1951, and for what amounts.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Government Advances.
(a) The following below-the-line issues were made in the period 15th June, 1951, to 31st December, 1951, inclusive:—
|
£ |
|
|
(i) Electricity Supply Board |
5,400,000 |
|
(ii) Local Loans Fund |
5,220,000 |
|
(iii) Bord na Móna |
656,000 |
|
(iv) Córas Iompair Eireann |
238,500 |
|
(v) Redemption of National Loans |
2,077,530 |
|
TOTAL |
£13,592,030 |
Borrowing was incurred not only for these purposes but also to defray expenditure on voted "capital services", to pay off arrears of fuel losses and to cover the deficit on the then current Budget. The net amount borrowed for Exchequer purposes in the period specified was £30.4 million and was obtained as follows:—
|
£ million. |
|
|
American Loan Counterpart Fund |
22.5 |
|
Post Office Savings Bank |
5.6 |
|
Savings Certificates |
0.3 |
|
Other sources |
2.0 |
|
TOTAL |
£30.4 million |
(b) The total amount advanced for the five purposes named in the question was £3,304,000 for the period 1st April, 1951, to 30th June, 1951. The amount issued in subsequent months of 1951-52 was as follows:—
|
£ |
|
|
July, 1951 |
4,379,500 |
|
August, 1951 |
2,050,000 |
|
September, 1951 |
1,500,400 |
|
October, 1951 |
1,485,868 |
|
November, 1951 |
1,870,466 |
|
December, 1951 |
1,285,796 |
|
January, 1952 |
3,232,500 |
|
February, 1952 |
1,224,000 |
|
March, 1952 |
1,460,548 |
(c) The following Supplementary Estimates were introduced in the period 15th June to 31st December, 1951:—
|
Vote No. |
Title |
Amount |
|
£ |
||
|
43 |
Science and Art |
2,500 |
|
23 |
Miscellaneous Expenses |
4,300 |
|
71 |
Increases in Remuneration |
3,683,000 |
|
72 |
Oifig na Gaeltachta agus na gCeantar gCúng |
4,140 |
|
50 |
Industry and Commerce |
3,079,995 |
|
56 |
Defence |
20,000 |
|
51 |
Transport and Marine |
2,230,000 |
Is the Minister in a position to state what part of the £13,592,030 spent on below-the-line issues has been committed to us by the Coalition Government?
The whole sum of £13,592,030.
Is there any means by which the Minister could be relieved of the monotony of having to answer his own questions?
Did I understand the Deputy to say below-the-line or below-the-belt expenditure?
I would say that very many of the Coalition Government's actions were very much below the belt.
Question No. 11.
Arising further out of the Minister's reply, I would like to know in relation to the Supplementary Estimates introduced in the period 5th June to 31st December, 1951, how much of the moneys provided were in respect of commitments foreseen by the Coalition Government but not provided for at the time by my colleague in Dublin North Central, Deputy McGilligan.
Vote 71, £3,683,000.
That is untrue.
Vote 50, Industry and Commerce, £3,079,995.
That was as a result of the mess you left behind in 1947.
Vote 51——
Tell the truth and we will discuss it.
Order!
Vote 51, Transport and Marine, £2,230,000. I may remind the Deputy that Deputy Dillon asked us what we had done with the £22,000,000. That is what we did with it.
Question No. 11.
Do you pay the civil servants with dollars?
You spent the dollars.
The Minister said that is what he spent the £22,000,000 on.
We have an admission now that he had £22,000,000. We have been trying to get that for a long time.
Arising further out of the Minister's reply——
I have called Question No. 11.
Raise it on the Adjournment and I will explain to Deputy Corish that £22,000,000 is not £22,000,000.