asked the Minister for Finance why there is such a large increase in Post Office receipts for the period between 1st April, 1959, and 16th May, 1959, as compared with the similar period of last year.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Post Office Receipts.
9.
The Deputy, presumably, is referring to Post Office revenue receipts paid into the Exchequer as shown in the weekly Exchequer Return published in Iris Oifigiúil. These receipts showed an increase of £400,000 in the period mentioned by the Deputy as compared with the corresponding period last year. £100,000 of the increase was due to increased revenue and the remaining £300,000 was accounted for as follows.
It has been past practice to pay Post Office revenue into the Exchequer in monthly instalments at the end of each month. Arrangements are now being made, however, to have Post Office revenue paid into the Exchequer weekly instead of monthly so that it will be available for Exchequer purposes at an earlier date. The new procedure has not yet been completed but in anticipation of its introduction an instalment of £300,000 was paid into the Exchequer on the 14th May on account of the amount which otherwise would have been transferred at the end of the month.
I might mention that Post Office revenue paid into the Exchequer for the months of April and May, 1959, totalled £1.5 million as compared with £1.35 million for the same two months last year.