I move:—
That a supplementary sum not exceeding £140,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1960, for the increase of the Grant to Local Authorities in Relief of Rates on Agricultural Land (No. 35 of 1925; No. 23 of 1931; No. 23 of 1939; No. 36 of 1946; No. 36 of 1953; No. 18 of 1956; and No. 11 of 1959).
When the original Estimate for 1959-60 was being prepared, it was not clear what form the agricultural grant would take after 31st March, 1959, on which date the legislation governing the major part of it was due to expire. It was, therefore, felt that it would be prudent to provide only for the same amount of expenditure as was estimated would be incurred in 1958-59. That expenditure was estimated at £5,442,000 but as it included some £599,011 payable from the Central Fund under the Local Government (Ireland) Act, 1893, the provision to be made in the Estimate for Supplementary Agricultural Grants, 1959-60, was reduced to £4,842,000.
The Government later decided that the agricultural grant might continue for three more years on the same basis as up to 31st March, 1959. The relevant legislation, the Rates on Agricultural Land (Relief) Bill, 1959, became law on 16 June, 1959.
Since the Estimate for 1959-60 was prepared, local authority rates, which mainly determine the amount of the agricultural grant, have increased by 3.5 per cent. on average, so the estimate for £4,842,000 is now inadequate. The additional amount needed is estimated by the Department of Local Government at approximately £140,000 —the sum provided for in this Supplementary Estimate.
Allowing for the extra £140,000 proposed, the total provision in respect of the agricultural grant for 1959-60 will be £5,582,000. The latest breakdown of this figure by the Department of Local Government is given hereunder, along with the figures for last year:—
|
1959-60 (Estimated) |
1958-59 (Actual) |
|
|
£ |
£ |
|
|
Primary Allowance |
4,431,000 |
4,278,000 |
|
Employment Allowance |
1,127,000 |
1,148,000 |
|
Urban districts share |
15,000 |
15,000 |
|
5,573,000 |
||
|
Balance for possible extra charges |
9,000 |
— |
|
£5,582,000 |
£5,441,000 |