asked the Minister for Local Government if any agreement was come to between his department and any Association or Organisation in the County of Galway with regard to payment of rates in that County; if so, whether the County Council were parties to or cognisant of such agreement; will he say what authority within the County is directly responsible for the collection of rates, and if the Local Government Department has any authority to make agreements or arrangements regarding the collecting of rates with any other body than those who are so responsible; whether the notice of the Minister has been directed to a resolution of protest passed by the Galway County Council at its recent meeting; whether he is aware that the action of the Ministry will hamper the County Council very considerably in the collection of current rates, and whether the effect of this will be that many employees of the County Council will have to be temporarily discontinued owing to shortage of funds; and what further action does he propose to take in the matter.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. [ ORAL ANSWERS. ] - PAYMENT OF RATES IN GALWAY.
The Minister has asked me to reply for him: there was no agreement with any Association or Organisation in County Galway. With the object of securing the early collection of rates an Order was made, varying the Public Bodies Order. Having regard to the representations made by the County Council, and the views expressed by a deputation which attended on their behalf to-day, the Minister has given instructions to secure that the revisions in the Order may or may not be availed of, at the option of the Council.