Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 27 Oct 1932

Vol. 44 No. 5

In Committee on Finance. - Vote No. 30—Quit Rent Office.

Mr. Flinn

I move:—

Go ndeontar suim ná raghaidh thar £1,423 chun slánuithe na suime is gá chun íoctha an Mhuirir a thiocfaidh chun bheith iníoctha i rith na bliana dar críoch an 31adh lá de Mhárta, 1933, chun Tuarastail agus Costaisí Oifig an tSaor-Chíosa.

That a sum not exceeding £1,423 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, 1933, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Quit Rent Office.

This is practically a formal vote as far as the Dáil is concerned. There is an increase of £44 in salary.

Mr. Good

I asked on previous occasions when this Vote was under consideration as to whether something could not be done to reduce the expenditure. I might remind the Parliamentary Secretary when I asked on previous occasions the volume of the quit rents that were collected I was informed, I am not quite sure whether by him or his predecessor, that it was something in the region of £8,000?

Mr. Flinn

£7,550.

Mr. Good

Quite so. It is even less than on the last occasion. Now it is costing us something like £4,000 to collect £7,000. That does not seem a very practical proposal to a business man, and I would like to know if this particular office has been the subject of an investigation, to see whether it is desirable in view of the circumstances I have mentioned, to continue it as a separate department, because it is hardly a practical proposition to pay £4,000 to collect £7,000. Of course I know the Parliamentary Secretary will inform me there are other duties discharged by this particular office, but it does appear to one from inquiry made into the matter that these duties in connection with the investigation of Quit Rents in cases dealt with by the Land Commission might also be dealt with by the legal staff attached to the Land Commission, and that this—I will not say very expensive office— unremunerative expenditure of £4,000 to collect £7,000, is one that might be considered and dealt with in a more businesslike way than it is at the moment.

Mr. Flinn

I thoroughly agree with the Deputy. According to the story which has come to me this office is due to collect £50,000 a year, which has now fallen off to £8,000. It is even regarded as a dying service, and certainly the question whether it could be merged into some other service will be one of the matters which will be considered, and is in fact actually having consideration. I think the point taken by Deputy Good is very good.

Mr. Good

I have heard that before.

Mr. Flinn

Not as well as that.

Vote put and agreed to.