asked the Minister for Finance if in view of the annual tribute levied on agricultural produce of our farmers by Great Britain and the consequent saving to our Exchequer of £5,000,000, an amount equated to the farmers' tribute and approximating closely to the total of the land annuities and the rates on agricultural land he will take the necessary action to remit land annuities and to provide from the Central Fund the necessary finance for local administration in lieu of rates on agricultural land.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Land Annuities Revision and Agricultural Rating.
The Minister is unable to accept the premises upon which the Deputy's question is based and accordingly he does not think that the action indicated in the latter part of the question is called for by the facts.
Can the Parliamentary Secretary say what the £4 5s. 0d. per head on cattle is for? It was £6 per head up to the making of this pact. In view of that £4 5s. 0d., does not the latter part of the question arise?
Discussion on the whole coal-cattle pact does not arise on this question.
I asked a question. I did not ask for any tip on the coal-cattle pact. I ask the Parliamentary Secretary again what that £4 5s. 0d. tribute which is being paid to Great Britain is for? Does it not boil down to this: that we must give a free gift of nearly £5,000,000 worth of our produce before they will agree to pay a penny for anything we send over to them?
That may or may not be an orderly and proper question, but it is not the question which is on the Order Paper.
It is an awkward question which no member of the Government cares to have put and therefore there is no answer given.