Vol. 228 No. 1
asked the Minister for Local Government if he has given instructions to the secretary of any county council to have decrees, obtained in court by rate collectors against any ratepayer who has not paid any portion of his rates, handed to the sheriff for collection; and, if so, why such action was taken.
16.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he has issued instructions to the secretary of Dublin County Council that, in all cases where decrees for non-payment of rates have been obtained, these decrees be executed without further delay.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 16 together.
Since the illegal campaign against the payment of county rates for the year ended 31st March, 1967 still continues, I have instructed county councils to utilise fully and immediately the normal processes of the law to recover rates for 1966-67 which are still being withheld.
Is the Minister not aware that in the first place his instructions, which I believe were illegally given because he has no authority to give such instructions to any county council, are being operated against those who are not involved, who are not even farmers, in his own constituency? Does the Minister think that the proper way to have peace is to instruct that sheriffs' orders should be invoked against people so that their furniture and fittings will be taken away, and use the Army to do this? Is this what the country has come to?
I intend to ensure that the essential services provided by local authorities will continue to be available and also to ensure that law-abiding ratepayers will not have to pay more because of the failure of wealthy farmers to pay the greatly reduced amounts demanded of them in rates.
Is the Minister not aware——
Hear, hear.
Keep your "hear, hears" for the local elections. Is the Minister not aware that people in his own constituency who have no land, good, bad or indifferent, are coming under this hammer? Does the Minister not consider that he should withdraw the order following the threat he made at a meeting, the report of which, incidentally, was published before he was supposed to have made the speech?
There is nothing like being up-to-date. I am——
Surely the Minister appreciates that they are not all wealthy and that many of them are extremely poor?
I am aware that one of the people Deputy Tully and Deputy Clinton think should not be required to pay rates is in receipt of a subsidy from the general taxpayers in relief of rates alone, apart from anything else, of some £500.
Is the Minister aware that many of the people about whom he is talking are not in receipt of any money from any source, except what they are able to earn by their own hands, and the reason they have not paid is that they have not got the money? Would the Minister not agree that he should keep out of things like this and not be interfering in matters that do not concern him?
It is my responsibility to see that local authorities continue to be able to provide these essential services and I intend to ensure that they will. I am quite well aware of the fact that Deputy Tully would like to see these things collapsing but he will not.
The Minister is telling an untruth. Could the Minister say if it is a fact that it is not his responsibility to give instructions on matters of this kind which are matters for the local authorities themselves and is he not interfering in something that has nothing to do with him?
It is my responsibility and it is my responsibility to remind the local officials concerned of their duty in this regard and I intend to do it and continue to do it.
It was not your duty to send the grippers out.
Yes, to collect the money.
The battering ram next.
Possibly.
