¹, said the estimate for his Department amounted to £5,000. The total expenditure for the past six months was given as £4,523. That sum should have £1,000 deducted from it, as the cost of the mission to South Africa was charged to this Department, whereas it should have been charged to Foreign Affairs Department.
1. Desmond Fitzgerald was Director of Publicity. Erskine Childers acted as Director during the imprisonment of Desmond Fitzgerald.
The estimate included £1,200 for the purchase of a freehold house for offices. That expenditure was in the nature of capital expenditure so that the actual estimate for coming half-year would really be £3,800.
Details were salaries £1,000 for 2 statistical clerks, 2 typists, 2 despatch clerks, private secretary to the Director, assistant Director and assistant Editor of the "Irish Bulletin". He would like here to say a word of commendation about Mr. Frank Gallagher in that capacity. He would like to add that the work of the whole staff was such that the Dáil could congratulate them: efficient and excellent under conditions of extraordinary stress. Stationery £450, postage £900. This latter figure was heavy owing to the fact that the "Bulletin" had to be sent out in sealed envelopes. £240 for a small subdepartment in Cork, £100 for books, £600 for printing, £100 for rent, rates and taxes. That with £400 for contingencies made a sum of £3,800. Add to that the value of the freehold house £1,100 [recte £1,200]—£5,000.