I move:—

That a sum not exceeding £100,586 be granted to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1943, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Stationery Office; for Stationery, Printing, Paper, Binding, and Printed Books for the Public Service; and for Sundry Miscellaneous Services, including Reports of Oireachtas Debates.

There is a total decrease on this Vote of £644, which is made up of increases amounting to £6,231, mainly due to additional printing and paper requirements for the emergency services, offset by decreases amounting to £4,560, mainly due to economy efforts and scarcity of supplies, and £2,315 under appropriations in aid.

In connection with sub-head G—Grants to periodicals published in Irish and newspapers publishing current news in Irish—can the Parliamentary Secretary say whether there is any progressive expansion in the publishing of current news in Irish in the papers which have been doing it up to the present, or whether there are any new newspapers starting to publish current news in Irish?

I do not happen to have a note of any particular change in respect of sub-head G but I understand that there is one new paper which is publishing news in Irish, and if the Deputy would like the actual particulars, I shall get them for him.

What steps, if any, were taken by the Minister for Supplies to see that a reasonable supply of printing paper was made available for the Stationery Office during the emergency period and what is the paper supply position of this Department?

The paper supply position generally, as the Deputy knows, is pretty difficult. On the general question of what provision has been made in the matter of supplies, that is a matter to be directed to the Minister for Supplies. So far as Government stocks of paper for our own use are concerned, we were fairly well off at the beginning, but replenishment is practically impossible. Practically every sort of paper is now being used up. Documents, old forms and anything of the kind are being very vigorously watched and there is almost painful economy in the matter of paper.

Has a full supply of paper to meet requirements for the current year been made available?

There is a full supply, depending on what kind of paper you propose to use for a particular purpose. I should imagine that there would be a gradual deterioration in the quality of envelopes and things of that kind, but we shall certainly get through this year.