asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state (i) the personnel and their emolumentsof (a) An Bord Fáilte; (b) Fógra Fáilte; (ii) the expenditure and commitments to date of both bodies under the following heads (a) An Tóstal; (b) general; and (c) office premises, and (iii) whether there are premises held by these bodies in Cork City; and, if so, at what rent, and if the agreement is available for inspection.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Tourist Boards.
The chairman of An Bord Fáilte is Mr. J.A. Nugent and the other members are Messrs. R. Beamish, A.P. McClafferty, S.J. Muldowney and J.P. O'Brien. The remuneration of the chairman is at the rate of £500 a year and the remuneration of each of the other members is at the rate of £200 a year.
The chairman of Fógra Fáilte is Mr. J.P. O'Brien and the other members are Messrs. R. Beamish, T. Condon, J.M. Glynn, A.P. McClafferty and F.A. Moran. The remuneration of the chairman is at the rate of £1,000 a year and the remuneration of each of the other members is at the rate of £200 a year.
As regards the expenditure and commitments for An Tóstal, 1953, I would refer the Deputy to the reply given to a question on this subject in Dáil Éireann on the 5th of last month.
The general expenses of both boards, including expenditure on office accommodation, are met from moneys provided to them by way of Grants-in-Aid in accordance with the provisions of the Tourist Traffic Act, 1952. The expenditure of moneys issued by way of Grants-in-Aid is within the discretion of each of the boards. The Act of 1952 requires that the accounts of both boards should be audited annually by the Comptroller and Auditor-General and that a copy of every annual balance sheet and income and expenditure account of each board, as passed by the Comptroller and Auditor-General, together with his report thereon, must be laid before each House of the Oireachtas. Having regard to these provisions I do not consider that An Bord Fáilte or Fógra Fáilte should be required to furnish specially the information which would be necessary toenable a reply to be given to the other parts of the question.
An Bord Fáilte have no premises in Cork City. Fógra Fáilte maintain a tourist information bureau in Cork City which is operated by the Irish Tourist Association as agents on their behalf. I understand from the board that the present premises are considered to be unsatisfactory and the bureau will be transferred in the near future to more suitable premises which Fógra Fáilte have leased for the purpose. The operation of tourist bureaux is a matter within the discretion of Fógra Fáilte and I am not prepared to furnish information as to the rent, if any, payable for such premises or to suggest to Fógra Fáilte that any agreements that may be in existence should be made available for inspection.