asked the Minister for Finance if he will state the figure for total Voted Capital Services for the ten years ended 31st March, 1958, and the return, if any, thereon.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Voted Capital Services.
14.
The first year in respect of which specific budget provision was made for Voted Capital Services as such was 1950-51 and the total expenditure in respect of such services from that year to 1957-58 inclusive was £93.794 million.
It is not feasible to say what the return, in money terms, has been in respect of this expenditure. In a few instances there is a direct financial return to the Exchequer as in the case of repayment of advances under the Grain Storage (Loans) Act, 1951, and the land reclamation annuities. There is also a direct return from forestry development expenditure but this could not be allocated against the capital outlay in any particular years. Further, there is a definite, if indirect, return to the national economy—which does not admit of measurement—from Voted Capital Services expenditure on schemes of agricultural and industrial development, housing, hospitals, harbours and airports.
Over the period in question is it not true that the volume of our exports was doubled and their value trebled?
I would want to check on that.
Do check on it.