§ MR. T. M. HEALYTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he would grant a Return of all sums of money paid by the Department of Agriculture and Technical Industries (Ireland) to each county or borough authority or private individual in each year since the inception of the Department, showing the purpose of such grant and the amount of local contributions in each case, and the source of such local contributions.
† See (4) Debates, cxxiv., 75.1304 (Answered by Mr. Atkinson.) A Return containing all the particulars asked for, which practically cover every payment made by the Department since 1st April, 1900, would be a very voluminous one. Its preparation would involve much time and labour, and it does not appear to the Department that it would serve any useful public object. At pages 98 to 103 of the Department's First Annual General Report for 1900–1901, and at pages 128 to 134 of their Second General Report for 1901–1902, will be found, summarised under a large variety of heads, particulars as to the Department's expenditure out of their Endowment Fund, the Parliamentary Grant, and the General Cattle Diseases Fund, and Cattle Pleuro-Pneumonia Account, and further particulars as to the purposes of and mode of administering these moneys are given in the body of the Reports under the various heads of the Department's operations. Similar information will appear in each subsequent Report. Local contributions from County and Urban Councils are derived from the rates, a rate of either a ½d. or 1d. in the £ being levied annually as a general rule. Payments to individuals are made only for services rendered, or as compensation for the loss of swine slaughtered under the Diseases of Animals Acts, or by way of loan for purchase of boats, fishing gear, bulls, stallions, and such like purposes.