I move:
That a supplementary sum not exceeding £10 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on 31st day of March, 1973, for the salaries and expenses of the Office of the Minister for Industry and Commerce, including certain services administered by that office, and for payment of sundry grants-in-aid.
This Supplementary Estimate is necessary to enable funds to be provided for the newly constituted Irish Productivity Centre which was incorporated under the Companies Act on 30th May, 1972, and takes over the functions formerly exercised by the Irish National Productivity Committee who were financed by way of grant-in-aid under the Vote for my Department. Because, however, of its incorporation and change of name it is not possible to issue to the new body any of the sum which had been provided for the Irish National Productivity Committee. The amount being provided for the new body is £145,010 but there are offsetting savings of £145,000 on the provision for the former committee which will no longer, of course, be required.
The Irish National Productivity Committee, a body representative of employer and labour interests, concerned themselves with the identification of factors which impede the growth of productivity, pinpointing areas where there are significant productivity gaps and in taking steps to bring about improvement in those areas. In 1971 the committee completed an appraisal of their structure and function following a survey carried out by the European Association of National Productivity Centres. I have accepted proposals for the restructuring of the committee which, iner alia, provide for a council composed of six representatives each of the Federated Union of Employers (FUE) and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) with an observer from my Department. The chairmanship of the organisation will alternate between FUE and ICTU and the term of office will be two years. I feel satisfied that the new organisation —the Irish Productivity Centre—as now constituted, should be more efficient than heretofore since there will be a positive commitment by both the employer and trade union interests to the objective of greater productivity.
Since 1964, INPC as part of their overall programme to facilitate increased efficiency, have financed the Educational and Advisory Service provided by ICTU. The rapidly expanding demand for these services has resulted in their absorbing nearly 30 per cent of the INPC grant-in-aid. Consideration is being given to the most appropriate method of financing the service for the future and discussions have taken place on the possible transfer of responsibility for the service to the Department of Labour. In the meantime the 1972-73 provision is included in the Vote for my Department. I recommend this Supplementary Estimate to the House.
