I move: "That a sum not exceeding £105,000 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, 1924, for expenditure in respect of Rates and Contributions in lieu of Rates, etc., in respect of Government Property." £15,000 has been voted on account.
ESTIMATES FOR PUBLIC SERVICES. - RATES ON GOVERNMENT PROPERTY.
I would like to know if this vote covers payment by the Government for rates due on private property commandeered for military purposes. I know of some cases where private property was commandeered over twelve months ago and on which no payment for rates or anything else has been made up to the present time, and in which the individuals who own that property have been summoned for the payment of the rates due on their property. I would like to know if the payment of these rates by the Government is included in the Vote as it stands?
In paying the rates will the Government consider it a duty to pay the special six-penny rate which is levied under the Damage to Property Act?
The Vote does not include any sum for cases such as Deputy Davin mentioned. I should say that all claims, such as he refers to, would come in in a separate account in respect of property for whatever service commandeered the property. Government property is exempt from statutory liability to assessment to local rates, but is by custom the subject of contributions in lieu of rates. Contributions are given from this Vote for all property occupied by the Government for the Public Service and maintained directly out of Votes of the Oireachtas. Premises become non-rateable immediately they come into Government occupation and it is the fact of occupation upon which the grant is based. All the different contributions in respect of Government property, instead of being charged on the different Votes, are united in this principal Vote with the exception of rates assessed on telegraphs under the Telegraph Acts which are provided in Sub-head L 4 of the Post Office Vote so as to bring all the expenses of the Postal Service together as far as possible. The valuations on which the contributions are given were formerly fixed after communication between the British Treasury Valuer, acting for the Government, and the Local Authorities. They are based, so far as practicable, on the same principles as the valuations of rateable property with which they can fairly be compared. By administrative arrangement, the valuation Department now performs for the Ministry of Finance the function of the former Treasury Valuer, and all claims by local rating authorities for contributions in lieu of rates are examined and certified by that Department before payment is made by the Ministry of Finance. The details given in Part 3 of the Estimate suffice to explain the provision made for the current year.
Question put and agreed to.