asked the Minister for Local Government, in reference to his reply of May 16th, in which he stated that there was no agreement with any association or organisation in Co. Galway with regard to the collection of rates in that county whether his attention has been directed to a Press report of a meeting of the County Galway Executive of the Farmers Union, at which the action of the Government, in breaking an alleged agreement with regard to collection of rates, was severely criticised; whether he has received a letter from the Secretary of the Union referred to, alleging the existence of an agreement between the Minister for Agriculture and the Union, regarding the collection of rates in Co. Galway; whether his Department was, as alleged, approached by the Minister for Agriculture with regard to an agreement as to the collection of rates in Galway, and can the Minister state now the nature of the representations which led him to make the order, varying the Public Bodies Order, which it was afterwards decided not to enforce.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. [ORAL ANSWERS.] - CO. GALWAY RATES.
I have not seen the Press report referred to. As already stated, there was no agreement with any organisation in Co. Galway regarding the collection of rates. The modification in the Public Bodies Order was made because of a technical difficulty in collecting arrears separately from the 1922-23 rate.