I move:—
Go ndeontar suim ná raghaidh thar £10,000 chun slánuithe na suime is gá chun íoctha an Mhuirir a thiocfidh chun bheith iníoctha i rith na bliana dar críoch an 31adh lá de Mhárta, 1926, chun costaisí i dtaobh Longlainne Inis Sionnach. |
That a sum not exceeding £10,000 be granted to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1926, for expenses in connection with Haulbowline Dockyard. |
The sum of £15,000 in the Estimate for 1925-26 is necessary in order that the dockyard may be maintained and the plant and gear kept in repair. Every possible measure is taken to secure economy. Negotiations for the disposal of the dockyard and the oil tanks are in progress with several reputable firms, and until the result of these negotiations is known, the dockyard and plant must be maintained as a going concern. A military hospital is maintained on the island pending the completion of an hospital in Cork, and a ferry service must be maintained for the hospital staff and garrison, and also for the civilian ex-employees and employees on the dockyard who reside in houses on the island. Great difficulties would be met with in endeavouring to remove the civilians from the houses which they occupy. The closing down of the dockyard would involve the dismissal of from ninety to one hundred men at present employed there, and as long as there is any reasonable possibility of ultimately disposing of the property it is not considered desirable to throw these men out of employment. The question of closing down the dockyard will, however, have to be seriously considered at the end of the year if it is not disposed of.