Vol. 183 No. 13
I move:—
That a sum not exceeding £6,520 be granted to complete the sum necessary to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1961, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Office of the Secretary to the President, and for certain other expenses of the President's establishment (No. 24 of 1938) including a Grant-in-Aid.
In Page 1 of the Book of Estimates, we are given the true figures for the upkeep of this Establishment. The figures given in that page are rather startling for the public in view of the situation at the present time. To put it very briefly, this year to enable our Republican President to keep up the pomp and ceremony associated with the Empire and royalty days, will cost the taxpayers £54,198. It may be possible for countries with vast resources, great and increasing populations to keep up high standards with regard to their leading figures but a small Republic like ours, a Republic that contains only portion of the nation, should not try to ape countries that are far better off. There would be much greater respect for us abroad if we appeared in our true colours in regard to our means.
It is an extraordinary mentality which is displayed in Ireland that we as a nation must try to keep up with the Joneses, while our population is dwindling and 8 per cent. of our people are unemployed. If that sum of £54,000 were expended in the following way, it would be of tremendous benefit. If that sum were allocated to the breadwinners of 100 families, we could afford to pay £10 a week to 100 families. That is something that should be seriously considered. We have small towns in the west of Ireland where people are trying to eke out an existence and the very sum it costs to keep an individual in style would enable 600 people in such a town in the west of Ireland to keep their heads above water. This spending is completely out of keeping with our circumstances. It shows delusions of grandeur and all I can say is that those whom the gods wish to destroy they first make mad.
