§ MR. DALY (Monaghan, South)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the County Cess struck by the Grand Jury of Monaghan for the barony of Farney in the year 1896 was £982 3s. 7d. less than 1895, £397 6s. 5d. less than 1897, and£894 5s. 10d. less than 1898, or £754 11s. 11d. less on taking an average of the three years 1895, 1897, and 1898, when compared with 1896; and, whether he will advise the Local Government Board, under Clause 49 of the Local Government Act, when making the grant in aid of rates towards the barony of Farney not to adopt the year 1896 as the standard.
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURAny exceptional circumstances in connection with the County Cess raised during the standard year in County Monaghan will be carefully considered in determining the amount of the agricultural grant payable to that county. The amount raised in a year subsequent to the standard year cannot, however, be admitted as an element in the calculation. With reference to the second paragraph the calculations are made by counties. The Local Government Board have no power to alter the standard year, but only to take into account any exceptional circumstances which appear to them to have caused a variation from the average.