asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware that no compensation has been paid by the Cork Corporation to the Cork County Council for rateable property taken into Cork County Borough four years ago; if the loan charges on housing, sewerage and water are being paid by the Cork County Council or the Cork Corporation; if he is aware that no provision for compensation or loan charges has been made in this year's Corporation estimates; and what steps it is intended to take to ensure that a sufficient rate is struck by Cork Corporation to cover their legal obligations in this regard.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cork Corporation: Obligations to County Council.
20.
I am aware that the Cork County Council and the Cork Corporation have failed to reach agreement as to a financial adjustment consequent on the extension of the city boundary as from the 1st April, 1955. I am informed, however, that payments to the County Council in respect of loan charges on cottages in the added area are being made by the Corporation and are included in the annual estimates of the Corporation and that the water and sewerage installations in that area are the property of the Corporation. Under the Order extending the boundary provision is made for a compulsory financial adjustment if the authorities concerned fail to reach agreement. The County Council have applied for a compulsory adjustment and have submitted their claim which is being examined.
Would the Minister consider it fair that such a period should elapse between the compulsory taking over of this area by the Cork Corporation and any decision being come to on it? Secondly, who is getting the rates?
Could the Minister say, the Corporation and the County Council having failed to reach agreement, when the County Council made their claim to the Minister?
The request was made in August, 1957. The Inspector of Audit was then directed to investigate this particular claim. While it may be true that the period appears to be overlong, as stated by Deputy Corry, the history of all such claims in the past would indicate that, in fact, this claim has not reached a duration of the same length as earlier claims of which we have had experience, and the most recent of which was a claim in 1950 which took somewhere in the region of 4½ years to determine. If further evidence of the complexities that are inevitably met with in the determination of such cases is required, from some facts that I have before me it appears that in Britain, for instance, where similar boundary changes are quite frequent, the period varies from 5 to 9 years. In 29 recent cases of which we have an account determination took from 5 to 10 years.
Can the Minister inform me who is getting the rates for the area at present?
I am afraid I cannot.
You see where the Corporation are——
The point I want to raise——
Order. One Deputy at a time. We cannot have Cork Deputies speaking simultaneously.
It is a Cork stampede.
From what the Minister has told the House may we take it that, wherever the fault for delay rests, it certainly does not rest with the Cork Corporation?
No. They are a very efficient body.
The Minister does not agree on the evidence before him that any fault lies with any body.