asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if his department has notified urban authorities that the Estate Duty Grant will not be available to them during this financial year, and if he will state what is the reason for this action.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - ESTATE DUTY GRANT.
No notification was issued to urban authorities that the Estate Duty Grant would not be available during this financial year. In connection with the preparation of the local estimates for the year 1925-26, a circular letter was issued to these authorities on the 13th ultimo explanatory of the grants in aid of local taxation. The Estate Duty Grant constitutes the first item of the cash portion of the Land Purchase Guarantee Fund, and opportunity was taken to explain the position of this grant in relation to arrears of land purchase annuities. I will hand the Deputy a copy of the letter in question. It is only where the arrears of annuities exceed the ascertained share of the local authority in the Estate Duty Grant that no payment in respect of this grant can be made until the arrears of annuities have been paid.
Might I ask, if the tenants in one particular county have their annuities fully paid up, will that county be treated the same as another county where the annuities have not been paid?
No. At the outset this grant will have to be held up to meet liabilities. It is not possible at the outset to ascertain what counties are in arrears. When that is ascertained, those particular counties are deprived of the benefit of the grant proportionately to the amount they are in arrears with regard to annuities.
Am I to understand that urban authorities have not been definitely notified that this grant will not be available during the year, but that at the moment it looks like that?
No. At the moment it is quite possible payment will have to be made from that grant in respect of several local authorities, and it is well for them to take that into consideration when preparing estimates.
Am I to infer that this grant will eventually be paid to local authorities?
Assuming that eventually they pay up all arrears.