Vol. 421 No. 4
13 Mr. Spring asked the Taoiseach if he will outline (a) the total cost of the Government's campaign in the referendum on the Treaty on European Union, (b) the budgetary sub-head from which the costs will be recouped and (c) the amount of those costs that were paid in fees and other expenses to a company (details supplied).
As invoices have yet to be received for most of the elements of the Government's information campaign in regard to the Treaty on European Union, it is not possible to give definite figures for the total costs of the campaign or for the amount payable to the company in question. I can, however, say that the expected total cost will be within the limit of £600,000 that was set and that the percentage of the total payable to the company will be less than one-quarter of 1 per cent. If the Deputy wishes to put the question down again after an interval, I shall be happy to give him the precise amounts involved.
The costs of printing the White Paper and the Short Guide to the Treaty and of distributing the latter to households throughout the country will be met from the Foreign Affairs Vote. The balance of the campaign cost will be met from Subhead B of the Vote for my Department which is Government Information Services.
I accept the Taoiseach's invitation to resubmit the question when the information is available. May I ask the Taoiseach whether under Subhead B there is an adequate provision to meet the costs he has mentioned?
It is unlikely that there is: provision was not made for the cost of this under that Subhead. The total budget of £600,000 provides for the printing of the White Paper and the Short Guide to the Treaty, and their distribution. The overall cost includes all of those factors. When I have the full and final figure I shall be only too glad to communicate with the Deputy.
We shall now proceed to questions nominated for priority.
