asked the Minister for Lands and Agriculture whether any representations have been made to him by the Meath County Council to the effect that the rate collectors of the Council find it impossible to collect rates on estates divided during the past financial year as the rate warrants were not served on the present occupants, and whether in view of the fact that the Land Commission took possession of such lands while rates were unpaid, he will state if the Land Commission accepted liability for such rates, and if so, whether same will be remitted to Meath County Council.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - RATES ON DIVIDED ESTATES.
Mr. HOGAN
A communication has been received by the Land Commission from the Secretary of the Meath County Council complaining of delay in the payment of rates due in respect of lands held by the Commissioners in County Meath. It is not the practice of the Land Commission to take possession of untenanted lands proposed to be acquired by them for distribution under the Land Act, 1923, until all arrears of poor rates due thereon are paid. Rates subsequently struck are payable by the Land Commission if the lands are kept in their hands pending distribution, or by the persons amongst whom the lands are divided. Each poor rate collector is bound, under a penalty of £5 in each case, to send to the secretary of the county council before the 15th June in each year a list of all tenements and hereditaments in his district, the valuation of which requires revision. The secretary of the council must leave these lists open for inspection at his office for 10 days and permit extracts to be made therefrom and the lists must then be transmitted to the Commissioner of Valuation on or before the 27th June. To facilitate the parties, however, the Land Commission, when they allot untenanted land, furnish to the Commissioner of Valuation a tracing of the resale map showing the allotments and a schedule giving particulars thereof, and at the same time they notify the county council that this has been done and that the council should make application to the Commissioner of Valuation for a revision of the lands. The Commissioner of Valuation will, on the application of the county council, list the lands for the next annual revision, and pending revision being made, will furnish, if required, a provisional apportionment of the poor law assessment. All rates for which the Land Commission are liable in County Meath have been dealt with.