asked the Minister for Finance if he will state the total amount paid from the National Development Fund to the Road Fund, and the amount provided for 1957-58 and 1958-59 by way of principal and interest to amortise such amount.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Payments to Road Fund.
The total amount paid from the National Development Fund to the Road Fund is £2,476,444. No question of amortising this arises as the grants were non-payable.
Surely the Minister has to amortise in the ordinary Exchequer Accounts? I was not suggesting it had to be amortised out of the Road Fund. The question refers to the Exchequer Account and not to the Road Fund.
No.
I shall put the question down again next week to give the Minister an opportunity of replying.
If the advance is made from the Central Fund in the ordinary way it is amortised over 30 years. The National Development Fund is not repayable.
Moneys provided in the National Development Fund have to be amortised in exactly the same way.
No.
Oh, yes. They do not come out of the sky. The Minister does not know what he is talking about.