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IMEACHTAÍ AN CHOISTE.THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE.Déardaoin, 2 Iúil, 1959.Thursday, 2nd July, 1959.1. Chruinnigh an Coiste ar 11 a.m. 2. Comhaltaí i Láthair. Bhí na comhaltaí seo a leanas i láthair:— An Teachta Díolún (i gCeannas), na Teachtaí Booth, Seán de Brún, Ó hEochaidh, Mac Seoin, Tadhg Ó Loingsigh agus Sheldon. 3. Tuarascáil an Choiste. Chuir an Cathaoirleach Dréacht-Thuarascáil faoi bhráid an Choiste a breithníodh. (i) Aontaíodh míreanna 1 go 8 go huile. (ii) Mír nua. Tairgeadh leasú (An Teachta Booth): “Before paragraph 9 to insert a new paragraph as follows:— ‘Department of Health. The Committee noted with regret that economies had been made in expenditure on advertising and publicity and was of the opinion that expenditure of this nature should be reduced only where all other possible economies had first been investigated and where it would be established clearly that such expenditure was to some extent wasteful or unnecessary.’” Tarraingíodh siar an leasú, faoi chead. (iii) Mír 9. Léadh an mhír mar a leanas: “Public Works and Buildings. 9. The attention of the Committee was drawn to an ex-gratia payment of £1,300 to a contractor to compensate for extra labour and other costs incurred on the erection of a Telephone Exchange between the years 1949 and 1952 at a cost of £75,000. The Accounting Officer stated that a competitive demand for skilled labour arising from the simultaneous erection of a Regional Sanatorium in the same locality obliged the contractor to employ his men on almost continuous overtime at trade union rates. He agreed that this competitive demand was an ordinary hazard of contractors, but that the Commissioners’ policy was not to take too rigid a view in such cases. They considered it justifiable to make a contribution to losses sustained through unusual or special circumstances because they were anxious to retain the goodwill of contractors provided that the concessions made were not unreasonable. The Committee is however reluctant to accept lightly departures from the principle that fixed sum contracts should be completed within the terms of the contract. It agrees that extra-contractual payments should be confined to unusual or exceptional difficulties which could not be foreseen by the successful or any other tenderer. It is therefore with some hesitancy that it accepts the explanation given in this case.” Tairgeadh leasú (An Teachta Booth): “In line 17, to delete ‘lightly.’” Tarraingíodh siar an leasú, faoi chead. Aontaíodh an mhír. (iv) Aontaíodh míreanna 10 go 13 go huile. (v) Mír 14. Léadh an mhír mar a leanas: “Employment and Emergency Schemes. 14. Delays by local authorities in submitting suitable schemes to absorb the full allocations was the explanation for a saving of £37,000 in the provision for Urban Employment Schemes. The Committee was informed that the authorities in Dublin and Cork found difficulty in submitting schemes containing a high unskilled labour content and that in these circumstances issues of grants were delayed. Having regard to the official unemployment returns it wonders whether hardship to the unemployed could be avoided by a greater degree of co-operation between the Special Employment Schemes Office and the local authorities.” Tairgeadh leasú (An Teachta Sheldon): “In line 6, before the words ‘high unskilled labour content’ to insert the word ‘sufficiently’.” Aontaíodh an leasú. Tairgeadh leasú (An Teachta Sheldon): “In lines 8 to 11, to delete ‘Having regard to the official unemployment returns it wonders whether hardship to the unemployed could be avoided by a greater degree of co-operation between the Special Employment Schemes Office and the local authorities’ and substitute ‘It trusts that no effort will be spared by the local authorities concerned in the way of advance planning and early consultation with the Special Employment Schemes Office to secure that, while it remains necessary, monies voted for the relief of unemployment shall be fully utilised”’. Aontaíodh an leasú. Aontaíodh an mhír, mar a leasaíodh. (vi) Mír 15. Léadh an mhír mar a leanas: ‘Stationery Office. 15. Attention was drawn to payments of £347 and £667 to a printing contractor in respect of rent for type held standing for prolonged periods. The former payment relates to printing of the rules of the High Court and the Supreme Court, and the holding of the type would appear to have been due to delay on the part of the Department of Justice in furnishing the balance of “copy”. It is stated that the revision of the rules will not be completed until 1960. The other payment relates to work for the Irish Manuscripts Commission and the Committee was informed that the delay was mainly due to the difficulty in obtaining the services of persons suitably qualified to prepare the works for printing. The Accounting Officer stated that he has arranged with the Commission that as far as possible no new work will be sent for printing until complete copy is available. It trusts that this and the other arrangements that have been made will obviate the necessity for expenditure on the retention of type for prolonged periods, save in exceptional circumstances.” Tairgeadh leasú (An Teachta Booth) “In line 18, before the word ‘exceptional’ to insert the word ‘very”’. Aontaíodh an leasú. Aontaíodh an mhír, mar a leasaíodh. (vii) Aontaíodh míreanna 16, 17 agus 18. (viii) Mír 19. Léadh an mhír mar a leanas: “Industry and Commerce. 19. Payments amounting to £641,322 were made during the year on account of losses sustained by Grain Importers (Éire) Ltd. on the disposal of a quantity of native wheat of the 1956 and 1957 harvest which was surplus to requirements and the bulk of which was sold as animal feed. The Committee understands that the wheat sold was all millable, but that it had to be disposed of to clear storage accommodation. After the 1957 harvest was saved there was an abnormal surplus over anticipated requirements of 120,000 tons, excluding a normal carryover of 50,000 tons. The 1958 harvest was estimated to yield 380,000 tons and so storage accommodation would have been required for 550,000 tons. The 1958 crop yielded only about 10 per cent. of the estimate and it was necessary to import a considerable quantity of foreign wheat to meet requirements. While the Committee appreciates that the very disappointing results of the 1958 harvest could not have been foreseen when the decision was made to dispose of the surplus, it wonders whether future losses could be better controlled if more storage accommodation was available.” Tairgeadh leasú (An Teachta Sheldon): “In lines 19 and 20, to delete ‘more storage accommodation was available’ and substitute ‘storage accommodation were more fully availed of”’. Aontaíodh an leasú. Aontaíodh an mhír, mar a leasaíodh. (ix) Mír 20. Léadh an mhír mar a leanas: “Roinn na Gaeltachta. 20. The methods of accounting and control of stocks of raw materials and finished goods of the Gaeltacht industries have been the subject of examination and comment by the Committee, and in its report dated 17th July, 1958, a request was made that a complete survey of the store records be undertaken by the Accounting Officer and the Comptroller and Auditor General agreed to co-operate to this end. The results of the survey are shown in the Accounting Officer’s reports appended to the minutes of evidence. While the Committee accepts the assurances of the Accounting Officer that the discrepancies disclosed by the survey were not significant in view of the quantities involved and the period covered, it is still not satisfied with the methods of control exercised by the Department over its stores. Since the operation of the industries was handed over on 1 April 1958 to the Board established under the Gaeltacht Industries Act, 1957, it has decided not to offer further comment.” Tairgeadh leasú (An Teachta Tadhg Ó Loingsigh): “In lines 10 to 12, to delete ‘While the Committee accepts the assurances of the Accounting Officer that the discrepancies disclosed by the survey were not significant”’. Cuireadh an Cheist:—“Go bhfanfaidh mar chuid den mhír na focail a thairgtear a scriosadh”. Rinne an Coiste vótáil: Tá, 5; Níl, 1.
Faisnéiseadh dá réir sin go rabhthas tar éis glacadh leis an gCeist. Aontaíodh an mhír. (x) Aontaíodh míreanna 21 agus 22. Aontaíodh an Dréacht-Thuarascáil, mar a leasaíodh. Ordaíodh: Tuairisc dá réir sin a thabhairt don Dáil. 4. Críochnú Gnótha. Críochnaíodh gnó an Choiste ar 12.20 p.m. |
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