§ MR. JAMES O'KELLYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the case of MR. M'Dermott, rate collector, Boyle, who has been forced to pay out of his own pocket the full amount of certain un-collectable rates in his district; and whether anything can be done to relieve him of the burden.
MR. BRYCEI am informed that under the terms of the bond entered into by MR. M'Dermott he is required to lodge to the credit of the county council within each half year the whole amount of the rates assessed in his district in respect of such half year. Having done so he can be refunded such portion of his lodgments as may be shown to the satisfaction of the county council and the Local Government Board to be irrecoverable. In addition to irrecoverable rates, there are some rates on buildings which though not legally irrecoverable are practically uncollectable, and in these cases the Local Government Board are prepared at the end of the financial year to consider recommendations by the county council for the refund of such rates to the collector, where it has been proved that he has used every effort to collect the rates, but has failed to do so.