SUPPLY.—REPORT. (Hansard, 24 April 1885)

§ MR. BIGGAR

said, that this Resolution related to a Vote to which Irish Members had taken objection, because the people of Ireland had to pay a very substantial proportion of it without getting anything in return. They thought that if those grants were made for the maintenance of roads in England and Scotland, the same contribution ought to be made towards the maintenance of roads in Ireland; and because that principle was not applied, they considered that a great injustice was done to the people of Ireland which ought to be redressed. They had heard over and over again the argument that this charge was only temporary, and that the matter would be considered when the Local Government Bills for England and Ireland were passed; but they thought that in the meantime, seeing that those Bills had been promised so long, and that there was very little prospect of getting them passed into law, the Government should bring in a Supplementary Estimate during the present Session which would afford the redress claimed by Members for Ireland. If the Government would undertake to do that, they would be well satisfied. They did not, of course, want the large amount now being voted for English roads, but an amount proportioned to the taxation as between the three countries. The rates raised in Ireland for the repair of roads were called county cess levied by the Grand Juries. If a grant were given to Ireland and divided amongst the different counties, the counties would be thus indirectly benefited. For those reasons he opposed the present Vote.