Vol. 163 No. 6
I move:—
That a supplementary sum not exceeding £26,000 be granted to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1958, for certain Miscellaneous Expenses, including certain Grants-in-Aid, Compensation and other Payments in connection with Injuries to Property (No. 24 of 1941) and payments of Compensation for Death or Personal Injuries.
There has been general agreement by successive Ministers for Finance that the Exchequer will have to come to the rescue in the rebuilding of the Abbey Theatre and in December, 1954, the former Government announced that, subject to the approval of the Dáil, they would supplement whatever funds the directors of the Abbey had or might have themselves to rebuild it in accordance with plans to be approved of on certain general lines. Such plans have been in course of preparation for several years past but could not be submitted in final form because protracted negotiations were taking place for the acquisition of a certain adjoining property. It was considered desirable to acquire it so that the plans for the new theatre could be drawn in conformity with modern standards. Arrangements have now been made for the purchase of the premises concerned by the Abbey directors—the agreement for sale has been signed—and this Supplementary Estimate is required solely to recoup them the price and the accompanying legal expenses, including stamp duty.
The Dáil will, of course, be given an opportunity of discussing the project again before the actual rebuilding takes place.
This Estimate is to fulfil a contract which I authorised the Abbey directors to enter into. I could not bring an Estimate before the House until the Abbey directors had signed that contract, because if I did so I would be giving their entire hand away to the vendor. That is why it comes now.
