I wish to bring under the Minister's notice a difficulty that has arisen in practice in connection with the working of the Public Bodies Order with regard to the striking of a rate for a financial year. Under the Order the estimate for expenditure on roads has to be considered and decided at least one month before the end of the year. At the time a council has no knowledge of other charges for poor law, mental homes and general county services. It is asked to strike a rate for roads, representing a very considerable sum, while it has no knowledge of its total liabilities. From the financial point of view that is grotesque. I know there is a feeling that whatever the wealth may be the cost of the services must predominate and a certain standard must be provided. That reminds me of the saying of a well-known literary gentleman, whom I met only once, that we should all live at the rate of £10,000 a year.
The position of these councils is that they have restricted and diminishing resources and must cut their coats according to their cloth. The only thing they can cut is expenditure on roads. The other expenditure is statutory or mandatory so that any retrenchment the county council may desire to make must fall on the roads. If the Public Bodies Order is to be carried out what the county councils are driven to do is to make a nominal estimate, by striking a conservative rate, which is possibly totally inadequate but may be increased later when the total liabilities are known. That is a very unbusinesslike arrangement, and I would like some assurance from the Minister that the matter will receive his attention. All it leads to is friction between the superior Olympic authorities in Dublin and those on the ground floor. As the Minister knows there is quite enough friction already. Where the causes can be removed, I hope that will be done.
