I move:
That a supplementary sum not exceeding £49,600 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1972, for the salaries and expenses of the Department of the Taoiseach.
Committee on Finance. - Vote 3: Department of the Taoiseach.
The amount of the Supplementary Estimate is £49,600. This sum is required to meet the costs which have arisen in regard to the engagements of Markpress, Geneva, on publicity work, additional expenditure arising out of the status increase and the 13th wage round granted to civil servants, increased Post Office charges and some additional travelling and incidental expenditure which was not anticipated when the original Estimate was prepared.
Vote put and agreed to.
Perhaps the Chair would allow me to explain very briefly that the seeming haste with which these Supplementary Estimates have gone through the House is only a seeming haste. The Whips were faced with the problem of dealing with up to ten Estimates. We arranged to have a reasonable discussion on four of them and the others were allowed to be passed without discussion. This is strictly on the understanding that the Estimates for the Department of Justice and the Department of Foreign Affairs will be taken early in the new session.
I would draw attention to the fact that sometimes our dealing with these Estimates is held up because Estimate briefs are not prepared in time by certain Departments. I would ask the Parliamentary Secretary to ensure that in the new session we will not be held up in any discussion of any Estimate by the fact that these are not prepared by any Department we may wish to discuss.
I should like to state that the undertakings I have given in relation to the agreements today will be honoured, as they have always been honoured. I will take note of the additional matters mentioned by the Chief Whip of Fine Gael.
I should like to take the opportunity of thanking the Chief Whip of Fine Gael and the Assistant Whip of the Labour Party, Deputy Kavanagh, for their co-operation in relation to the agreement today.
Votes Nos. 2, 3, 8, 10, 15, 18, 19, 27, 27, 28, 30, 32, 36, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 43, 44, 45, 46 and 51 reported and agreed to.