asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state, in view of the fact that in respect of unpaid land annuities, there was withheld from the Estate Duty Grant payable to County Councils the sum of £78,256 in respect of the year ended 31st March, 1932; £89,064 1s. 11d. in respect of the year ended 31st March, 1933; and £78,489 13s. 9d. in respect of the year ended 31st March, 1934, whether any of this money has since been made good to the local authorities; and, if so, how much; and if he will state the total amount of these moneys still outstanding to each county council; and whether he proposes to make good the whole or any part of these sums outstanding during the current year; and, if so, if he will state how much money he proposes to provide for this purpose.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Estate Duty Grant and Unpaid Annuities.
As regards the first and second parts of the question, a portion of the sum of £300,000 issued to local bodies in respect of local taxation grants absorbed in the Guarantee Fund that were funded under the Land Act, 1933, was in repayment of the amounts absorbed in the Guarantee Fund on account of the Estate Duty grant for the years ended 31st March, 1932 and 1933. It is not possible to segregate the amount repaid as between these two years and previous periods. There has been no repayment in respect of the year ended 31st March, 1934.
As regards the third part of the question, I am not in a position to give to the Deputy any information at present. The Deputy is no doubt aware as regards the financial year ended 31st March, 1934, that the issue of the amount of the Guarantee Fund is dependent upon the recovery of the arrears of annuities for the November-December, 1933 gale.