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 31st March, 1947, for Transport and Meteorological Services.
There are a number of sub-heads to this Vote under which additional moneys are required. The first relates to payments in respect of steamer services. The Dáil will remember that we entered into an agreement with the Galway Bay Steamship Company for the continuation of the Aran Island steamer service. As part of the agreement, we undertook to defray out of voted moneys the entire cost of overhauling the steamer used on that service. In fact, when the steamer was taken into the dockyard it was found that far more extensive repairs were required than had been originally assumed. The full cost of the repair to the steamer is not yet known, but it is considered that it will not exceed £8,400.
Under the next sub-head—salaries, wages and allowances—the increase is mainly due to increases in remuneration, to some extra staff and for the payment of a certain amount of overtime. Increased expenditure has been incurred under sub-head B (2)—travelling expenses—mainly because a number of international technical conferences were held during the year in connection with the development of air services, conferences which it was necessary for the officers of the Department to attend for the purpose of ensuring that the navigational and other aids to air services to be installed here would be in accordance with international standards and completely suitable for their purpose.
The additional expenditure incurred in connection with construction works relates to the erection of meteorological observation stations at Midleton and Ballygarvan, in the County Cork. In the main Estimate, a token sum of £10 was provided to cover possible expenditure in the course of the year in connection with the establishment of an airport at Cork. The only expenditure incurred was the erection of these observation stations at two possible sites for the purpose of getting the weather data necessary for a decision as to which, if either, is suitable for the purpose.
The increases in respect of maintenance work are mainly due to increases in wages. The increase under sub-head B (11) was due to the fact that the consumption of electricity was higher than had been assumed, and because certain payments fell to be made in connection with dredging at Shannon Airport.
The main item in this Supplementary Estimate is under Sub-head C—Subsidy in respect of Air Services. Because of the non-delivery of aircraft, for which crews have been recruited and trained, the company's operations show a bigger deficit than had been anticipated. As the House is aware from Press announcements, the company entered into an arrangement to procure a number of Viking aircraft but, prior to the delivery of the aircraft to the company, the British Ministry of Civil Aviation decided that these aircraft should be grounded in order to have certain defects in their construction remedied. In consequence, it will be some months yet before there is any prospect of the aircraft being delivered. A similar situation arises in connection with Constellation aircraft on order. In the meantime crews and staff for the operation of the aircraft which had been recruited by the company are being retained in the services of the company.
The increase which has arisen in the case of the Dublin airport is mainly due to increases in wages and, to some extent, to an increase in employment. The increased expenditure under the head of international organisations arises in respect of five separate items. The first is an increased contribution to the International Meteorological Organisation, and the second an increased contribution to the Provisional International Civil Aviation Organisation, due to an expansion of the organisation's budget and a revision in the basis of State contributions which increases the amount payable by us. Another item relates to certain payments in respect of the North Atlantic Regional Air Conference, held in Dublin, which it was thought would have been made in the previous financial year but which did not, in fact, fall to be made until this financial year. There were also certain expenses incurred in connection with the meeting held in Dublin in October last of the International Commission for Air Navigation. The remaining item of additional expenditure is connected with the election of this country to the Council of the Provisional International Civil Aviation Organisation which means the establishment of a permanent office and staff for the Irish member of the Interim Council at Montreal.