§ MR. O'SHAUGHNESSYTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can say why it is that the Exchequer contribution under the Labourers (Ireland) Acts is not given direct to the various district councils in Ireland entitled to it, so that it may be applied by them direct towards the repayment of the loans under the Labourers Acts; and whether, if that cannot be done, he will take steps to see that the county councils that receive it use it solely for that purpose.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) All Government contributions to rural district councils are distributed through the county councils, which are the rate-levying authorities, and are placed by them to the credit of the several rural districts entitled to receive them. It would be most inconvenient to adopt a different procedure with regard to the
† See (4) Debates, elv., 1142830 Exchequer contribution applicable towards repayment of loans under the Labourers Acts. The Local Government Board have no information that county councils divert the sums so remitted to thorn to purposes other than those for which they are intended.