§ MR. STANLEY LEIGHTON (Shropshire, Oswestry)I beg to ask the Attorney General for Ireland if he will state the amount of tithe rent-charge redeemed in Ireland since the Disendowment of the Church, and the average number of years' purchase at which the tithe rent-charges have been redeemed; and whether the Government have ever considered that any abatement in the tithe rent-charge ought to be made in consequence of agricultural depression?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. MADDEN,) Dublin UniversityThe amount of tithe rent-charge in Ireland redeemed since 1869 is £230,579, the purchase-money for which has been £4,914,231, being 22½ years' purchase of the net rent-charge, poor rate being deducted, or about 21⅓ years' purchase of the gross rent-charge. The existing tithe rent-charges in Ireland are fixed by statute, and it would not be possible for any abatement on account of agricultural depression to be made without legislation.