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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 29 May 1930

Vol. 35 No. 2

In Committee on Finance. - Vote 23—Valuation and Boundary Survey.

I move:—

Go ndeontar suim ná raghaidh thar £23,653 chun slánuithe na suime is gá chun íoctha an Mhuirir a thiocfidh chun bheith iníoctha i rith na bliana dar críoch an 31adh lá de Mhárta, 1931, chun Tuarastail agus Costaisí na Luachála Generálta agus na Suirbhéireachta Teorann fé sna hAchtanna 15 agus 16 Vict., c. 63; 17 Vict., c. 8; 17 Vict., c. 17; 20 agus 21 Vict., c. 45; 22 agus 23 Vict., c. 8; 23 Vict., c. 4; 27 agus 28 Vict., c. 52; 37 agus 38 Vict., c. 70; 61 agus 62 Vict., c. 37; Uimh. 19 de 1923; agus Uimh. 3 de 1927; agus fén Ordú Rialtais Aitiúla (Achtacháin d'Oiriúnú agus do chur i mBaint), 1925; maraon le Luacháil Diúité Estáit (10 Edw. VII., c. 8.).

That a sum not exceeding £23,653 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, 1931, for the Salaries and Expenses of the General Valuation and Boundary Survey under the Acts 15 and 16 Vict., c. 63; 17 Vict., c. 8; 17 Vict., c. 17; 20 and 21 Vict., c. 45; 22 and 23 Vict., c. 8; 23 Vict., c. 4; 27 and 28 Vict., c. 52; 37 and 38 Vict., c. 70; 61 and 62 Vict., c. 37; No. 19 of 1923 and No. 3 of 1927; and under the Local Government (Application and Adaptation of Enactments) Order, 1925; including Estate Duty Valuation (10 Edw. VII., c. 8).

I notice that under sub-head A there is an increase of £1,283 in salaries, wages and allowances. In that connection I would like to know whether that is due to an increase of staff or to the normal operation of the incremental scale? It seems to me that with the fall in the cost of living there should be a reduction under that sub-head. The items under Appropriations-in-Aid consist almost entirely of the proportion of the cost of the annual revision of valuation to be paid over by the several counties and cities under 37 and 38 Vic. That amounts to a sum of £6,295. I presume these are charges on the local authority, fixed by statute. I do not now when that was passed. My knowledge of when that lady came to the throne is somewhat hazy. I am told it was 1837, and it must be almost 100 years ago, or say 93 years ago, or something like that. It would appear to me that the amount of fees which are recovered under that statute ought to be adequate to recoup to the Government the cost of making these revisions of valuations. Of course no one likes to impose a heavier local charge than is necessary. At the same time, since the local bodies reap the benefit of these valuations, I think it is only fair that this particular Department should be recouped the net cost of the revision. I do not know whether the Minister has under consideration a revision of this scale.

There has been a certain amount of changes in the staff owing to a change in the head of the office. Certain people were moved up the scale. With regard to the other point that Deputy MacEntee raises, I want to say that it has been under consideration, and in the course of a few years it may be possible to undertake something like a general re-valuation. If it were found possible to undertake that re-valuation the system might be re-cast. I do not say that we would necessarily have to wait for that before increasing the fee, but there would be many grounds for getting a valuation that was real and not purely conventional, as the existing valuation has become. It would be a very long and a very big job. At present the valuation put on property, apart altogether from the value of land, and the valuation of houses, has no relation at all to the real valuation.

The valuations are simply made relative to the valuation of adjacent houses. There is a great deal to be said for looking over that whole matter. If we can come to a decision to do that, it will certainly require legislation and it would be the basis for modernising the whole system, including charges and all that. I do not know whether we will do anything about this matter of fees pending the determination of the other matter.

I hope the re-valuation will not be anything like the re-valuation put on the City of Waterford. I do not know whether that valuation was put on, on account of politics or not—

That valuation was made at the request—I might say the regretted request, afterwards— of the parties.

The point that Deputy Little has made ought to strengthen the Minister in his belief that a re-valuation of the country is due. I am speaking personally in this matter now, but I feel that there are so many anomalies in the existing valuation scale that no one knows whether the general incidence of local or national taxation is justified. I think we cannot get down to consider seriously taxation and rates until this thing has been done.

Vote agreed to.
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