Vol. 211 No. 8
: I move:
That a sum not exceeding £259,450 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, 1965, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Houses of the Oireachtas, including certain Grants-in-Aid.
Could the Minister tell us does he expect that the new building will be ready for occupation in the autumn?
The latest estimate I got is that it will not be ready until next April. As Deputies are aware, the part of the building at the right side of the Dáil Chamber is being reconstructed. The passage around the Dáil will be reconstructed during the summer holidays so all noise and hammering will be finished when we come back in November. We cannot occupy the new building until about March or April next year.
That will be extremely awkward. I asked last month about this and I was given an assurance that we would be able to occupy the new building when we came back after the summer recess. That is not so now. I understand, once the builders come in next Monday, in order to get to the Opposition rooms, one will have to go down the Ministers' curved gallery and come back up here. That is all right while the Dáil is in recess but it will be very awkward when the House is sitting.
I think when we come back in November the passage here will be ready again. This part of the building will be completed. The part of the building between the Dáil Chamber and the front of the Houses will be completed then.
I would ask the Minister to make certain that that is so. If this work is not completed by then, it will be utterly impossible to carry on business.
