§ MR. JAMES O'CONNOR (Wicklow, W.)To ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that, according to the estimate of the county surveyor for Wicklow, the cost of maintaining the roads from Ballyfolan leading to the military camp at Shankill will be £88 16s. per year as compared with £7 8s., the annual cost of maintaining the roads previous to the establishment of the camp; and whether, seeing the amount received by the local council in lieu of rates upon War Department property for the last four years was in 1900 £9 16s. 8d., in 1901 £17 4s. 2d., in 1902 £11 14s. 3d., and in 1903 £9 8s. 7d., and that under the Local Government (Ireland) Act, 1898, Section 27 915 (2), the expenditure on these roads is limited to sixpence per perch, being the former average cost thereof, the War Department will increase their contribution to meet the increased expenditure for the maintenance of the roads leading to the military camp.
(Answered by Mr. Elliot.) Contributions in lieu of rates are given on the valuations fixed by the Commissioner of Valuation for Ireland. The land on which this camp is situate being chiefly mountain land the valuation is low, and consequently the contribution in lieu of rates is low. It is not now the practice to make, in addition to the ordinary contribution in lieu of rates, additional grants out of the rates Vote in cases in which the military traffic appears to be exceptional. Such grants are now made, if at all, from Army funds.