§ MR. THOMAS O'DONNELLTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Board of Works have inquired into the claims made by the Tralee Harbour Board for a grant for the repair of the Fenit Per, and for the reduction of the rate of interest 987 paid on the original loan; whether he is aware that the ratepayers have to pay nearly £5,000 per annum for this pier, and that interest at the rate of 4 per cent. is charged on the loan; and whether, seeing that the Treasury borrow money at less than 3 per cent., steps will be taken to reconstruct the loan and reduce the interest on the amount at present outstanding.
§ (Answered by Mr. McKenna.) The Board of Works inform me that the actual annual charge in repayment of this loan is £4,797 10s., but that the ratepayers receive some relief in respect of this charge from the surplus harbour receipts, which during the last three years have averaged £666. Under Section 58, sub-section 4 of The Local Government Act, 1898, the ratepayers in the guaranteeing area also receive relief from the Local Taxation Fund when the annual payment in respect of certain loans, of which this is one, exceeds 6d. in the £. I have considered the application from the Tralee Harbour Board, but, on the grounds stated to the hon. Member in my Answer of the 22nd March last, I cannot undertake to alter the terms of the loan.†