Vol. 217 No. 11
I move:
That a supplementary sum not exceeding £306,510 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1966, for certain Miscellaneous Expenses, including certain Grants-in-Aid.
This covers the Abbey Theatre.
Is this the allocation of funds from the Funds of Suitors? I did not think that required a separate Vote. I thought the Minister had power to do that and, if not, how is it that his £306,510 arises?
This covers a sum to help the Abbey reduce its overdraft and a payment to be made out of the Exchequer pending the allocation of funds out of the Funds of Suitors.
The Exchequer will be repaid this money out of the Funds of Suitors?
Yes.
Can the Minister tell us when the Abbey Theatre is likely to be completed and opened?
The best estimate I can find is by the end of the year—I take it by the end of 1965. I should mention—I am not trying to divert Deputy Ryan from the Abbey Theatre——
It is a good job that Deputy T. Lynch is not here.
——that I notice there is a token sum of £10 by which I seek to obtain the authority of the House to meet any expenditure which arises in the current financial year in connection with the Commemoration in 1966 of the 50th anniversary of the 1916 Rising. It is part of the Supplementary Estimate
On the other Estimate, I asked the amount of the grant paid to the National Theatre Society. I take it that this is the annual grant to the Abbey Theatre which has been running around £3,000 or £4,000? Can the Minister confirm that figure or say whether there has been any variation in it?
I forgot to mention to Deputy Dillon that there is another heading here "Bounties to Triplets and Centenarians."
I am relieved to hear it.
Grants-in-Aid to the National Theatre Society this year are for £30,000.
Is that a subsidy for the ordinary annual running expenses of the theatre? Can the Minister say when it was increased? The public have been led to believe that it was around £4,000 and now we find it is £30,000.
It was £25,000 last year. There were extra running costs due to the transfer to the Queen's Theatre and, perhaps, because of the transfer, there has been considerable depreciation in attendances and, therefore, an increase in the running costs.
Deputy Corry is looking for a cut for Cork.
I was wondering whether any of that was for the Gaiety, the lady with the high kick.
