Committee Reports::Report - Appropriation Accounts 1948 - 1949::18 July, 1951::Appendix


	HOME Baile
	COMMITTEE REPORTS Tuasascálacha Coistí

Committee Reports > List of Committees > Dáil > 1951 > Committee of Public Accounts > Report - Appropriation Accounts 1948 - 1949

APPENDIX V.

PARTICULARS OF LEGATION PROPERTIES; PREMISES PURCHASED IN MERRION SQUARE.

An Rúnaí,

Coiste um Chuntais Phoiblí.

Arising out of the discussion by the Committee of Public Accounts on the 16th November, 1950, of the expenditure on the Account for the Public Works and Buildings Vote No. 10 (1948/49), I now enclose, as requested, a statement giving particulars of the Legation properties, etc., abroad which were in occupation at the close of the last financial year, viz., 31st March, 1950, and of the different commitments in connection therewith which were up to that date met from voted moneys. Except where stated no local taxes or rates were paid.

The information required with respect to the other matters referred to by the Committee is as follows:—

No. 3 Merrion Square, Dublin.

Q. 212.

These premises were purchased to meet the urgent needs of the Foreign Exchange Control Division, a developing service, of the Department of Finance. The Division in question was already in occupation of the adjoining premises No. 2 Merrion Square, and in order to make the two premises suitable for occupation by the increasing staff personnel, works of adaptation, the breaking of opes and erection of doors, etc., to facilitate intercommunication between the premises as well as works of decoration, heating, lighting and internal telephone installation, the supply of furniture, fittings, linoleum and other equipment had to be carried out. The cost amounted to £2,233 14s. 0d.

As these works affected both premises and involved a considerable amount of re-arrangement consequent upon the increased accommodation, it is not practicable to segregate the respective costs applicable to each house.

No. 5 Merrion Square, Dublin.

The purchase price of this house, which was bought in October, 1946, amounted to £8,928 3s. 0d., inclusive of fees, etc.

The delay in furnishing this information is regretted. It was occasioned through abnormal pressure of other urgent work and to serious staff depletion due to iliness.

	(Signed) DIARMUID Ó hEIGCEARTUIGH,
	Chairman,
30ú Márta, 1951.	Commissioners of Public Wórks.

PARTICULARS OF LEGATION PROPERTY, ETC., ABROAD, AS AT 31st MARCH, 1950.

Country			Premises
ARGENTINE		...	Buenos aires—Residence.
			Apartments in No. 3796 Avenida Figueroa Alcorta held under Agreement for 2 years and 6 months from 15th April, 1948, and monthly thereafter at a rent of 2,100 pesos a month (approx. £1,003 per annum at rate of exchange in March, 1950). Lessee responsible for maintenance.

			Buenos Aires—Office.
			Apartments in No. 782 Calle Sante Fe held under a three years Agreement from 1st January, 1949, with the option of two further years at a rent of 2,800 pesos a month (approx. £1,337 per annum at rate of exchange in March, 1950). Lessee responsible for internal maintenance.

AUSTRALIA		...	Canberra—Residence.
			House with garage at No. 86 Dominion Circuit, Deakin, held fortnightly from 4th September, 1947 at a yearly rent of £A663 (approx. £530 at rate of exchange in March, 1950). Lessee responsible for maintenance. Expenditure on adaptations, etc., costing £2,602 was incurred. This property is owned by the Australian Government for which fortnightly tenancies are the customary term. There is no risk of the tenancy being terminated.

			Canberra—Office.
			Apartment on first floor of Block 10 and 11, Section 1, Canberra, held for one year from 27th September, 1948 and monthly thereafter at a yearly rent of £A234 (approx. £187 at rate of exchange in March, 1950). Lessee responsible for maintenance.

			Canberra—Site for proposed new Residence and Office.
			Held under lease for 99 years from 1st January, 1949, at a yearly rent of £A83 (approx. £66 at rate of exchange in March, 1950). Lessee responsible for maintenance.

			Sydney—Residence and Office.
			House at Wingadee, Crown Road, Pymble, held under lease for 3 years from 12th August, 1947 and monthly thereafter at a yearly rent of £A327 12s. (approx. £262). Lessee responsible for maintenance.

BELGIUM		...	Brussels—Residence and Office.
			Furnished house at 487 Avenue Moliere held under yearly tenancy from 24th October, 1947, at a rent of 240,000 Belgian francs p.a. (approx. £1,716 at rate of exchange in March, 1950). Lessee responsible for maintenance (Landlord responsible for major repairs).

CANADA	...	...	Ottawa—Residence.
			House with basement and garden at No. 450 Daly Avenue purchased in August, 1948, in fee simple at a figure of £13,883 inclusive of commission and fees. Expenditure on adaptations, etc., costing £9,072 was incurred.

			Ottawa—Office.
			Rooms in Victoria Building, No. 140 Wellington Street, leased for three years to 1st October, 1950 at a rent of $3,900 a year (approx. £1,267 at rate of exchange in March, 1950). Lessee responsible for maintenance. Taxes approximating £24 were paid in the financial year 1949/50.

FRANCE	...	...	Paris—Residence and Office.
			House, garage and Courtyard at Rue Paul Valery No. 37 bis and Rue Leonard de Vinci held under lease for three, six or nine years as required from 1st April, 1947, at a gross rent of 43,000 francs a month (approx. £44), subject to a progressive increase of 5,000 francs every 6 months. Lessee responsible for maintenance (excepting repairs covered by Article 606 of Civil Code). General taxes amounting to £95 and Insurance premium (refund to Landlord), £2, were paid in the financial year, 1949/50.

			Paris—O.E.E.C. Representative—Residence.
			A partly-furnished house at “Les Quartre Vents,” 62 Rue du 19 Janiver Garches, Seine et Oise held for one year from 15th April, 1949, at a rent of 55,000 francs a month equivalent to £625 15s. 4d. for year 15/4/49 to 14/4/50. Lessee responsible for maintenance. This residence has since been surrendered.

GREAT BRITAIN			London—Residence.
			House at 41 Elm Tree Road, St. John’s Wood, held on lease for 21 years from 29th September, 1934, at a rent of £500 per annum. Lessee responsible for maintenance. Expenditure on adaptations, etc., costing £1,815 was incurred. Rates £71 net and Insurance £6 5s. were paid in the financial year 1949/50.

			London—Office.
			Apartments in 215-217 Piccadilly held under lease expiring on 29th September, 1951, at a rent of £2,449 4s. 0d. per annum. Lessee responsible for internal maintenance. Rates, £502 net, were paid in the financial year 1949/50.

			Liverpool—Trade Inspector’s Office.
			A furnished room in 26 North John Street held under a yearly tenancy, from 1st January, 1943, at a rent of £60 p.a. Landlord responsible for maintenance.

HOLLAND		...	The hague—Residence and Office.
			Furnished house with garden and garage at Klatteweg 20, held under yearly tenancy from 1st December, 1949, at a rent of 10,000 guilders a year (approx. £1,000 at rate of exchange in March, 1950). Lessee responsible for internal maintenance and maintenance of garden.

HOLY SEE		...	Rome—Residence and Office.
			House known as “The Villa Spada,” purchased in December, 1946, in fee simple at a cost of £38,371, inclusive of fees, etc.

ITALY	...	...	Rome—Office.
			Temporarily accommodated at No. 10 Via San Martino della Battaglia, which was purchased for a sum of £15,827, inclusive of fees, etc., in fee simple in 1930 as a residence and offices for the Minister to the Holy See, but owing to the deterioration of the district alternative premises—Villa Spada—had to be acquired. Arrangements for disposal of the property are in train.

PORTUGAL		...	Lisbon—Residence.
			House at Quinta de Monteiro-Mor, Lumiar, held under lease for one year from 1st February, 1949, and half yearly thereafter for any period up to 12 years at a rent of 72,000 escudos p.a. (approx. £896 at rate of exchange in March, 1950). Landlord responsible for maintenance. Expenditure on adaptations, etc., costing £1,604 was incurred.

PORTUGAL		...	Lisbon—Office.
			Apartments at 77 Calcada de Estrela, Lapa Parish, held under Agreement for six months from 1st October, 1945, and monthly thereafter at a rent of 18,000 escudos a year (approx. £224 at rate of exchange in March, 1950). Lessee responsible for internal maintenance.


SPAIN	...	...	Madrid—Residence and Office.
			House at Avenida del Generalissimo No. 62. Leasehold interest purchased at a cost of £6,500 for a term of 6 years from 15th April, 1948, with option of renewal. Landlord responsible for maintenance Lessee responsible for deterioration caused by him.

SWEDEN		...	Stockholm—Residence.
			Furnished flat at 25 Strandvagen held on half yearly tenancy from 1st October, 1948, at rent of 1,300 Kroner a month (approx. £1,078 p.a. at rate of exchange in March, 1950). Landlord responsible for maintenance.

			Stockholm—Office.
			Apartments and garage at 17 Strandvagen held under yearly tenancy from 15th July, 1949, at a rent of 1,104 Kroner a month (approx. £915 p.a. at rate of exchange in March, 1950). Landlord responsible for maintenance.

SWITZERLAND		...	Berne—Residence and Office.
			House at 24 Beatustrasse held under Agreement for one year from 20th November, 1940, and half yearly thereafter at a rent of 8,000 Swiss francs a year (approx. £652 p.a., at rate of exchange in March, 1950). Lessee responsible for maintenance.

UNITED STATES			Washington—Residence.
			Furnished house at No. 2339 S. Street, Washington, held under tenancy for 6 months to 20th September, 1950, at $500 a month (approx. £179 at rate of exchange in March, 1950). Lessee responsible for maintenance.

			Washington—Office.
			House at No. 2234 Massachusetts Avenue purchased in August, 1949, in fee simple for $72,000 plus fees equivalent to £17,906. Expenditure on adaptations, etc., costing £7,824 was incurred. Taxes for the financial year 1949-50 approximated to £485.

			New york—Consulate Office.
			House No. 33 East 50th Street (taken over from Aerlinte Eireann, Tta., in July, 1948, on payment of the sum of £20,282, equivalent to the expenditure incurred by the Company on the renovation of the premises), held under balance of lease expiring on 31st January, 1968, at a rent of $20,000 a year (approx. £7,146 p.a. at rate of exchange in March, 1950). Lessee responsible for maintenance. Taxes for the financial year 1949/50 approximated to £2,375. (This house is a five storied building containing 21 rooms and basement. Portion of the accommodation is occupied by the Irish Tourist Board representative at a rent of £1,436 a year inclusive of certain services. Some accommodation surplus to requirements may eventually be available for sub-letting but the position has not yet been determined).

UNITED STATES			Boston—Consulate Office.
			Apartments in the John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company’s Home Office Building held under lease expiring on 31st August, 1954, at a rent of $3,600 a year (approx. £1,286 p.a. at rate of exchange in March, 1950). Lessee responsible for maintenance.

			Chicago—Consulate Officer.
			Apartments in Wrigley Building No. 400 North Michigan Avenue held under yearly tenancy from 1st May, 1949, at a rent of $3,600 a year (approx. £1,286 p.a. at rate of exchange in March, 1950). Lessee responsible for maintenance.

			San Francisco—Consulate Office.
			Apartments in Monadnock Building held under lease to 1st July, 1951, and monthly thereafter at a rent of $208 a month (approx. £892 p.a. at rate of exchange in March, 1950). Lessee responsible for internal maintenance.