Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 19 Feb 1974

Vol. 270 No. 6

Private Members' Business. - Exchequer and Local Financial Years Bill, 1973: Fifth Stage.

Question proposed: "That the Bill do now pass".

Mr. Colley

On this Stage I want briefly to say that we agree with the principle of the Bill. We agree that the transitional provisions in it are necessary. We think it is unfortunate that they should operate at a time when, as Deputy Callanan indicated earlier, they will create considerable difficulty for certain sections of the community. I withdrew an amendment earlier on the basis of the Minister's undertaking as to what he would try to do about the problem we were dealing with. I was disappointed that he did not see his way to accept the other amendment, which would have ensured that the ratepayers could be quite certain that whatever happened during the transitional period they would not be charged more rates than 75 per cent for the nine month period of what they had been charged in the previous 12 months.

I will not go back over the arguments in that respect but I must say I am disappointed that the Minister could not see his way to accept that I hope that in the implementation of the Bill by the local authorities and by the rate collectors due regard will be had to the views expressed here in regard to ratepayers who will experience considerable difficulty in certain cases because of the provisions of the Bill and through no fault of their own. In particular, I hope local authorities will note that the fact that the amendment I proposed to restrict to 75 per cent for nine months was rejected does not mean there is a licence to shove up rates to an enormous extent and to conceal this fact because the rates will be only for nine months.

Speaking for this side of the House I can say that we intend to be vigilant in this regard. Any effort made to take advantage of this transitional period in order to conceal what is really happening, as far as we on this side are concerned will be exposed rigorously and with, I may say, a certain amount of venom. We certainly do not wish to see this Bill, which we accept in principle, being used for this purpose. We tried to provide remedies to ensure this would not happen but the Minister did not see his way to accept them. We will do what we can to see that the ratepayers are not defrauded or misled in this respect.

Minister for Finance (Mr. R. Ryan)

I have already said, and I repeat, that the Government are determined that this transition will go through as smoothly as possible and that in the process of transition nobody will be the loser and nobody the gainer. The Minister for Local Government has taken pains to ensure and is taking steps to ensure that every local authority will be made fully aware of their responsibilities in this matter but he is not confining it to local authority level. He will also be making the public aware of what is occurring. We will also be doing this in regard to national responsibilities. The public will be made fully aware of the changes that are taking place in this financial year—that there will be a once and for all nine months period and that it will be followed by a national and local authority financial year which will be related to the calendar year.

If any Member of this House has any suspicion that any person or body or institution or authority is endeavouring to manipulate this transition period in any way which will be contrary to the normal pattern, I would ask him to notify the Minister for Local Government or myself, as the case may be, as to what is happening and we shall take all steps open to us to correct it.

Mr. Colley

Unless it is the Government.

Mr. R. Ryan

The Government have already given their word and they will observe that word and they will not take any advantage of the situation. There is no point in the Government trying to do so, because we have an objective here too, to have this change work as smoothly as possible. It will not be to the Government's advantage if somebody upsets the apple cart. This is just one of many changes that are necessary in this country and we want them all to go through as smoothly as possible. We are by this Bill ending an anachronism which comes down from the year 1752, because it was only in that year that the British Exchequer accepted the Gregorian calendar of 1582. I suppose the delay of 170 years in moving to the Gregorian calendar was probably due to certain suspicions about popish practices. We have not moved as fast on this occasion. It has taken from 1752 to 1975 to end this anachronism of having a year from the 1st April to the 31st of the following March. Of course, the National Coalition Government only came into office in 1973, so we cannot be blamed for a dilatory action before that. However, just as the world benefited by the adoption of the Gregorian calendar, I hope that Ireland will benefit by the adoption of the Ricardian calendar.

Question put and agreed to.