asked the Minister for Local Government if he will recommend to local authorities that tenants of vested cottages should be allowed to pay rates by weekly instalments.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Weekly Payment of Rates.
44.
In January, 1961, I issued a circular letter to rating authorities recommending that they should give consideration to the formulation of schemes for the payment of rates by instalments. The details of the schemes and the types of rating to which the facility would apply were left to rating authorities themselves to determine. There is nothing to prevent a rating authority from providing in such a scheme for the acceptance of rates by weekly instalments from tenants of vested cottages. I do not think, therefore, that there is a need for me to make a further approach to local rating authorities in this matter.
Is the manager of the local authority in a position to compel rate collectors to carry out weekly collections?
I do not know whether he can compel them or not. The circular that was sent out in January, 1961, pointed out that there was no statutory provision precluding the acceptance by a rate collector or a rating authority of the payments by instalments and as far as I know there is nothing to prevent any local authority from introducing the scheme for the acceptance of rates by periodic instalments.
Would the Minister say if in this case the local authority is the manager or the county council or corporation?
That seems to be a different question.
I do not think so. The Minister has made several references to the local authority. We want to know in this case what is the local authority.
The manager would not oppose the local authority if the local authority wanted such a scheme.
Can he do it without reference to the local authority?
Question No. 45 postponed.