asked the Minister for Finance whether in view of the fact that the yearly payment of £600,000 has not been made since April, 1932, to the British Government in respect of loans advanced before 1922 by the Board of Works under various Acts for miscellaneous improvements to lands, farm buildings, farm labourers' dwellings, purchase of farms, etc., it is proposed to continue to collect from farmers the payments to cover interest and sinking fund on those loans.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Collection of Local Loans.
As regards advances made by the Commissioners of Public Works under the Landlord and Tenant (Ireland) Act, 1870, to tenants for the purchase of their holdings, the Government propose to allow the same concessions as have been announced in the case of tenant purchasers under the Land Purchase Acts. It is not proposed to alter the existing terms of repayment of advances made by the Commissioners for the other purposes mentioned by the Deputy.
Arising out of the Parliamentary Secretary's reply, is he aware that a number of these loans were raised for the specific purpose of putting up certain farm buildings, and that a number of the farm buildings that were put up were houses for stock? As, owing to the economic position, these particular buildings are of no use at the present time to the farmers, and as the charges are very heavy on the farmers will the Parliamentary Secretary consider that some relief at the present time should be given to the farmers who have to meet the payments on these loans?
There is no more reason for making a concession in respect of advances made from the Local Loans Fund to farmers (improvements) than in respect of advances from the fund to other persons or local bodies. If a concession were made it could not be confined to farmer borrowers; it would have to be made all round, and not alone to parties who borrowed from the Board of Works, but also to persons who have obtained advances from other Departments, for example, from the Department of Agriculture, for fencing, purchase of implements, etc. In addition, there is the probability of repercussions as regards advances made by the Agricultural Credit Corporation.