asked the Minister for Lands if he can state (1) the number of persons in Éire who are subject to tithe rents; (2) the total amount collected yearly; (3) the purpose to which the money collected is applied, and (4) the reasons for collecting these rents.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Tithe Rents.
The number of persons who are subject to permanent tithe rent-charges and perpetuity rents and mortgages on landed property comprised under the head of Church Temporalities in Ireland is about 4,800 and the present annual rent is approximately £12,000. In addition there is a terminable revenue from tithe annuities and land annuities payable to the Church Temporalities Fund to the amount of approximately £5,000 per annum, payable by about 800 persons. The accounts of the Land Commission in respect of Church Temporalities in Ireland, showing particulars of receipts and expenditure, are published annually and presented to the Oireachtas. The income of the Church Temporalities Fund is applied to meet the remaining statutory payments charged upon it and appropriated to State administrative and educational purposes.
The reason for the collection by the Land Commission of tithe rents and similar charges on landed property in this country is that they are now similar to State revenue and have no religious significance whatever, constituting a purely secular charge on the lands to which they are appurtenant. As such, the payers thereof have been accorded the benefits provided for in Section 18 of the Land Act, 1933, on lines similar to the reductions given to payers of land purchase annuities.
If the Deputy is interested in the history of tithes I would refer him to a very explicit reply given to a question of Deputy Corish on the 7th December, 1937, which he can turn up in the Dáil Report for that date.