§ MR. DILLON (Mayo, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the fact that in December, 1900, a memorandum was issued by the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction informing the County Councils of Ireland that wherever a rate was raised for technical instruction an equivalent grant under the Acts of 1889 and 1891 would be available, in addition to the share coming to the county under the Act of 1899; whether he is aware that rates were struck on the faith of that undertaking, and that the Department now refuses to give the equivalent grant under the Acts of 1889 and 1891 except 972 to a limited number of districts; whether he will state why the Department have departed from the terms of their memorandum in this respect, and will he publish any correspondence which has passed between the Department and the Treasury on this subject.
§ MR. WYNDHAMThe facts are generally as stated in the Question. When the circular of December, 1900, was issued, the Department believed that the grants formerly paid under the Acts of 1889 and 1891 (the administration of which had been transferred to it) would continue to be available on the same conditions as previously. The Department has since been advised, however, that there is some doubt whether this is so, and the point is now engaging consideration. It is not proposed to publish the correspondence that has passed, and is still proceeding, between the Treasury and the Department on the subject.
§ MR. DILLONWill the right hon. Gentleman give us some pledge that this correspondence shall be made public? May I ask whether, in view of the fact that the ratepayers have been induced by an unconditional promise to levy a rate, and that that promise has now been broken, the right hon. Gentleman will give the Irish public the reasons for breaking the promise?
§ MR. WYNDHAMThe point is one which deserves attention, and I hope shortly to make an exhaustive answer.