asked the Minister for Finance if he will state when it is intended to pay the fees due to Presiding Officers and Poll Clerks for their services at the General Election, 1923, in the Constituency of North Cork.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - THE NORTH CORK ELECTIONS—PAYMENT OF OFFICIALS.
The fees of Presiding Officers and Poll Clerks in respect of their services at the election of 1923 for the Constituency of North Cork are fixed by prescribed scale, and are payable by the Returning Officer, to whom application should be made in any case where payment has not already been made.
Is the Minister aware that applications have been made already, and that it is alleged the late Returning Officer blames the Minister for Finance for the refusal to make these payments?
I am not aware of that. The Returning Officer has received as much as £4,500. In fact, the sum is £4,900. That should have enabled him to meet all cases where fees to Presiding Officers and Poll Clerks were due. There are some matters in respect to conveyance and transport in which the vouchers should be examined and where he might not have enough money. He certainly should have paid the fees.