I move:—
Go ndeontar suim ná raghaidh thar £71,577 chun slánuithe na suime is gá chun íoctha an Mhuirir a thiocfaidh chun bheith iníoctha i rith na bliana dar críoch an 31adh lá de Mhárta, 1934, chun Tuarastail agus Costaisí Oifig an Aire Tionnscail agus Tráchtála, maraon le Coiste Comhairlitheach na Rátaí, agus Ildeontaisí i gCabhair.
That a sum not exceeding £71,577 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, 1934, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Office of the Minister for Industry and Commerce, including the Rates Advisory Committee, and sundry Grants-in-Aid.
The most important change in the provision for this Department is an increase of £7,931, being an increase in respect of administrative expenses in connection with the Trade and Industries branch. Owing to the greatly increased work which has arisen in connection with the Government's policy on the protection of industries, the development of Irish industries, and projects giving employment here, a great deal of extra work has arisen. I think that Deputies will realise from the amount of legislation that has gone through the House, the amount of Orders that have been made regarding tariffs, and the greater complexity of that work, that in connection with the protective policy of the Government alone it is obvious that an additional staff would have been required. An additional staff is also required to deal with many other matters, such as licences, giving information to persons anxious to start industries, and carrying on negotiations with firms which desire to start industries, or to develop their existing industries. All that work has greatly increased and it has been found absolutely necessary to increase the staff in the Trade and Industries branch. One superintending officer, four higher executive officers, nine junior executive officers, and ten clerical officers have been appointed. That accounts for the increase of £7,931 under that head.
In connection with travelling expenses and incidental expenses there is a small casual decrease. Telegrams and telephones show a casual increase of £110. Fees of certifying surgeons is a nominal figure which arises because provision has to be made under the Factories and Workshops Act for certifying surgeons. Sub-heads F. and G. do not call for any special consideration. As to sub-head H. (1)—Grant-in-Aid of the expenditure of the International Labour Organisation, League of Nations—the subscription is increased and a note in the Estimates, on page 56, explains how the contribution which the Saorstát makes to the International Labour Organisation is computed. A certain provision is allocated between the different States and the amount attributable to the Irish Free State is £3,467. There is, however, a loss on the exchange, as the contribution is payable in foreign currency, necessitating an additional payment of £1,645, or a total of £5,112. There is a small increase in travelling and incidental expenses in connection with the travelling expenses to the International Labour Organisation. A small amount is allowed for entertainment purposes and a sum of £70 or £80 has been found to be necessary to pay the travelling and subsistence allowances of each delegate attending.
Sub-head I. makes provision for £4,700 for the Saorstát exhibit at the Chicago World Fair. In last year's Estimate provision for £300 was made out of a total provision made by the Executive of £5,000. This exhibit is being organised under the direction and supervision of the Saorstát Consul at New York, I think, and there is a very good exhibit indeed of Free State industrial products generally. The Executive Council were satisfied that it would be worth while to spend this money, which may look large, but which we found on examination was the least that we would have to spend in order to get a fairly reasonable exhibit. As Deputies are aware, the costs are somewhat higher in the United States in connection with matters of this kind than elsewhere. There is also provision for £3,000 as a grant-in-aid of the Irish National Exhibition, Cork, 1933. When the estimate was framed it was thought that the exhibition would be held and the Government were prepared, and made arrangements accordingly, to give a grant-in-aid of £3,000. We now find that the exhibition is not to be held, so this money will be saved.
In sub-head K. provision is made for the exhibit at the Paris Fair. The Paris Fair is a yearly event and is of great commercial importance and arrangements were accordingly made to have an exhibit of Saorstát manufactured goods. Most countries exhibit their goods at the Paris Annual Fair. The firms who might be interested were circularised in the matter and a certain amount of success was achieved. Not every firm, I must say, responded, but the exhibit will include such goods as Gaeltacht industrial products, biscuits, woollen piece goods, whiskey, hosiery, woollen and knitted goods, linen goods, arts and crafts, poplin and stout. The reservation of space is calculated to cost about £150 and, in addition to that, it will be necessary to provide for the hire of an attendant, for decoration, and for some incidental expenses, details of which are not yet available.
I do not think there is any other matter arising on the expenditure under this Vote as compared with former years. The important difference, as I have pointed out, is the increase in the provision for salaries, wages and allowances, owing to the extra provision of staff which has been found necessary in the Trade and Industries Branch and which could not be avoided in view of the Government policy.
