Uimhir 33 de 1924.

ACHT CAPITAIL THELEFÓIN, 1924.

Deontas chun an scéim thelefónach do chur i bhfeabhas.

1.—(1) Féadfidh an tAire Airgid suimeanna nách mó san iomlán ná suim cúig céad míle punt do thabhairt amach as an bPrímh-Chiste no as a thora fáis, pé suimeanna a theastóidh ón Aire Puist agus Telegrafa chun scéim thelefónach Shaorstáit Éireann do chur i bhfeabhas do réir meastachán le n-a n-aontóidh an tAire Airgid.

(2) Gach suim a thug an tAire Airgid amach as a bPrímh-Chiste no as a thora fáis no as Ciste Co-dhlúite Rialtas Sealadach na hÉireann roimh rith an Achta so d'Aire an Phuist no don Aire Puist agus Telegrafa chun scéim thelefónach Shaorstáit Éireann do chur i bhfeabhas tuigfar gur fé údarás an Achta so a tugadh amach iad agus cuirfar iad in aon áireamh a déanfar ar iomlán na suimeanna a tugadh amach fén údarás san.

Féadfidh an tAire Airgid iasachtaí fháil chun crícheanna an Achta so.

2.—(1) Chun airgead do sholáthar i gcóir na suimeanna a húdaruítar no a tuigtar a húdaruíodh leis an Acht so a thabhairt amach as an bPrímh-Chiste, no chun airgead do sholáthar chun aisíoc do dhéanamh leis an bPrímh-Chiste i ngach suim no in aon tsuim a tugadh amach as an gCiste sin fé údarás an Achta so no a tuigtar de réir an Achta so a bheith tabhartha amach amhlaidh fén údarás san, féadfidh an tAire Airgid iasachtaí fháil tré bhlianachtaí inchríochnuithe a rithfidh ar feadh tréimhse nách sia ná fiche bliain.

(2) Íocfar isteach sa Stát-Chiste gach airgead a gheobhfar ar iasacht fén alt so.

(3) Is amach as airgead a sholáthróidh an tOireachtas chun seirbhíse d'Oifig an Phuist a híocfar gach blianacht inchríochnuithe a cruthnófar fén alt so, agus, maran leor an t-airgead san, is ar an bPrímh-Chiste no ar a thora fáis a bheidh a muirear agus a híoe.

(4) Déanfar tagairtí san alt so d'airgead a tugadh amach as an bPrímh-Chiste do léiriú fé mar a bheidís ag tagairt, leis, d'airgead a tugadh amach as Ciste Có-dhlúite Rialtas Sealadach na hÉireann.

Ullamhú agus iniúcha cuntaisí.

3.—(1) Laistigh d'ocht mí tar éis deire na bliana airgeadais dar chríoch an 31adh lá de Mhárta, 1924, agus laistigh d'ocht mí tar éis deire gach bliana airgeadais ina dhiaidh sin ina ndéanfar aon tsuim do thabhairt amch no do chaitheamh fé údarás an Achta so, cuirfidh an tAire Puist agus Telegrafa fé ndeár go n-ullamhófar, i bhfuirm a ordóidh an tAire Airgid, cuntas ina dtaisbeánfar an t-airgead a caitheadh agus a hiasachtuíodh agus na hurúsanna a cruthnuíodh fé údarás an Achta so no a tuigtar, do réir an Achta so, a bheith caithte, iasachtuithe no cruthnuithe amhlaidh.

(2) Gach cuntas caiteachais a hullamhófar do réir an ailt seo cuirfar chun an Ard-Scrúdóra é agus déanfidh seisean é iniúcha agus tuarasgabháil do thabhairt air mar chuntas leithreasa ar a gcuma a horduítear leis an Exchequer and Audit Departments Acts, 1866 and 1921.

Leagfar ráitisí agus cuntaisí fé bhráid an Oireachtais.

4.—(1) Laistigh dé shé mhí tar éis rithte an Achta so, leagfidh an tAire Puist agus Telegrafa fé bhráid gach Tighe den Oireachtas, i bhfuirm a ordóidh an tAire Airgid, ráiteas cuntais ina dtaisbeánfar an t-ioncum agus an caiteachas i dtaobh na seirbhíse telefóin i gcaitheamh na bliana airgeadais dar chríoch an 31adh lá de Mhárta, 1923.

(2) Ar an 30adh lá de Mhí na Samhna, no roimhe sin, sa bhliain 1924 agus i ngach bliain ina dhiaidh sin leagfidh an tAire Puist agus Telegrafa fé bhráid gach Tighe den Oireachtas—

(a) ráiteas ina dtaisbeánfar an méid a caitheadh i gcaitheamh na bliana airgeadais roimhe sin mar gheall ar an muirear bliantúil i dtaobh bliantachtaí inchríochnuithe a cruthnuíodh no, do réir an Achta so, a tuigtar a cruthnuíodh fé údarás an Achta so, agus

(b) ráiteas cuntais a bheidh i bhfuirm a ordóidh an tAire Airgid agus ina dtaisbeánfar an t-ioncum agus an caiteachas i dtaobh na seirbhíse telefóin i gcaitheamh na bliana airgeadais roimhe sin.

(3) Má bhíonn an tOireachtas gan bheith ina suidhe i ndeire aon aimsire in ar gá do réir an ailt seo ráiteas no cuntas do leaga fé n-a bhráid, sínfar an aimsir sin go ceann seachtaine tar éis tosach an chéad shiosóin eile den Oireachtas.

Gearr-theideal.

5.—Féadfar an tAcht Capitail Thelefóin, 1924, do ghairm den Acht so.

Number 33 of 1924.

TELEPHONE CAPITAL ACT, 1924.

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

Number 33 of 1924.

TELEPHONE CAPITAL ACT, 1924.

Grant for development of telephonic system.

1.—(1) The Minister for Finance may issue out of the Central Fund or the growing produce thereof such sums not exceeding in the whole the sum of five hundred thousand pounds as may be required by the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs for the purpose of developing the telephonic system of Saorstát Eireann according to estimates approved by the Minister for Finance.

(2) All sums which have, previous to the passing of this Act, been issued by the Minister for Finance out of the Central Fund or the growing produce thereof or out of the Consolidated Fund of the Provisional Government of Ireland to the Postmaster-General or the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs for the purpose of developing the telephonic system of Saorstát Eireann shall be deemed to have been so issued under the authority of this Act, and shall be included in any calculation of the total sums issued under such authority.

Minister for Finance may borrow for purposes of this Act.

2.—(1) For the purpose of providing money for the sums by this Act authorised or deemed to have been authorised to be issued out of the Central Fund or of providing money for the repayment to the Central Fund of all or any sums issued thereout under the authority of this Act, or deemed by this Act to have been so issued under such authority, the Minister for Finance may borrow by means of terminable annuities extending over a period not exceeding twenty years.

(2) All moneys borrowed under this section shall be paid into the Exchequer.

(3) All terminable annuities created under this section shall be paid out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas for the service of the Post Office, and, if those moneys are insufficient, shall be charged on and payable out of the Central Fund or the growing produce thereof.

(4) References in this section to moneys issued out of the Central Fund shall be construed as referring also to moneys issued out of the Consolidated Fund of the Provisional Government of Ireland.

Preparation and audit of accounts.

3.—(1) Within eight months after the expiration of the financial year ended on the 31st day of March, 1924, and within eight months after the end of every subsequent financial year in which any sum is issued or expended under the authority of this Act, the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs shall cause an account to be prepared in a form to be prescribed by the Minister for Finance showing the money expended and borrowed and the securities created under the authority of this Act or deemed by this Act to have been so expended, borrowed or created.

(2) Every account of expenditure prepared pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Comptroller and Auditor-General, and shall be audited and reported on by him as an appropriation account in manner directed by the Exchequer and Audit Departments Acts, 1866 and 1921.

Statements and accounts to be laid before the Oireachtas.

4.—(1) Within six months after the passing of this Act, the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs shall lay before each House of the Oireachtas a statement of account in a form to be prescribed by the Minister for Finance showing the income and expenditure in respect of the telephone service during the financial year ended on the 31st day of March, 1923.

(2) On or before the 30th day of November in the year 1924, and every subsequent year the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs shall lay before each House of the Oireachtas—

(a) a statement showing the amount expended during the previous financial year on account of the annual charge in respect of terminable annuities created or deemed by this Act to have been created under the authority of this Act, and

(b) a statement of account in a form to be prescribed by the Minister for Finance showing the income and expenditure in respect of the telephone service during the previous financial year.

(3) If the Oireachtas shall not be sitting at the expiration of any time within which a statement or account is by this section required to be laid before it, such time shall be extended to the end of one week after the commencement of the next session of the Oireachtas.

Short title.

5.—This Act may be cited as the Telephone Capital Act, 1924.