asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state (a) how much was deducted from the Agricultural Grant to County Roscommon in each of the years 1924 and 1925 as a result of defaulting land annuitants; (b) how much was afterwards repaid by the defaulters in each of the years 1924 and 1925; and (c) how were these repaid sums, if any, credited to the county finances.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - CO. ROSCOMMON AND AGRICULTURAL GRANT.
On the adjustment of the Guarantee Fund in February, 1925, the net draw on the Fund for the year ended 31st January, 1925, was £1,869 10s. 4d. The actual draws from the Fund to meet arrears amounted to £25,645 8s. 5d., and the repayments to the Fund during the like period amounted to £23,775 18s. 1d. Draws from the Fund in respect of arrears of annuities in the county are chargeable in the first place to the County Share of the Estate Duty Grant, and so far as they are not met by that Grant they are deducted from the County Share of the Agricultural Grant. A sum of £1,723 0s. 1d. was deducted from the Agricultural Grant payable in March, 1925. In July, 1925, the final instalment of the Estate Duty Grant for the year ended 31st March, 1925, was issued, and the share of County Roscommon, viz., £852 8s. 1d., was credited to the County Share of the Agricultural Grant that was previously absorbed in the Guarantee Fund. This released a corresponding proportion of the latter Grant, so that the net amount at present deducted from the Agricultural Grant is £1,723 0s. 1d., less £852 8s. 1d., or a sum of £870 12s. 0d. The adjustment of the Guarantee Fund for the year ended 31st January, 1926, shows that in the case of Co. Roscommon there was a further net draw of £5,277 18s. 7d. The total of the draws from the Fund in respect of all arrears, including arrears under the Land Act, 1923, amounted to £33,189 13s. 9d., and the repayments over a similar period amounted to £27,911 15s. 2d. The final calculations in regard to the several shares of the county in the Estate Grant absorbed in the Guarantee Fund for the year 1925 have not yet been completed, but there is likely to result a further deduction of approximately £3,400 from the Roscommon County Share of the Agricultural Grant to be issued at the end of the month.