andMr. Dunne asked the Minister for Local Government if he will now consider waiving rates on parochial or community halls in an effort to preserve amenities for the population of rural Ireland.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Waiver of Rates.
43.
Mr. Barry
The possibility of providing relief from rates in the case of community or parochial halls will fall to be considered in the context of the proposed White Paper on local finance and taxation.
May I suggest to the Parliamentary Secretary, without knowing what is in this White Paper, that every party and every Member of this House has paid lip service to the preservation of the population of rural Ireland? Would he now tell us here in Leinster House on the eve of Christmas, 1971, that this is in fact in the White Paper?
The White Paper is being drawn up and this item is being considered for inclusion in the White Paper.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary making a favourable recommendation in this case?
The Parliamentary Secretary has not recommended anything yet.
Would he favourably consider a Bill from the Opposition here on this matter?
That is a separate question.
Do not try to jump the gun.
I do not know why the Opposition want to waive rates on Unionist or Orange halls.
We are talking about community halls.
Question No. 44.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary in his humorous way tell us now that this would be his policy if he had anything to say or do with the White Paper?
I do not intend to——
Show his hand like that.
——have the contents of the proposed White Paper elicited from me by way of question or supplementary question.
Would it be his wish that it should be included?
There will be a lot of things included in the proposed White Paper.
I can read between the lines.