§ 13. Mr. LYNNasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his attention has been directed to the necessity of at once remedying the unfair incidence of taxation in respect of the maintenance of pauper lunatics in Irish district asylums, and of amending Section 58 of the Local Government (Ireland) Act, 3 898, under which the grant is limited to 4s. per head, which was about one-half of the then cost; whether he is aware that since 1898 the cost to the local ratepayers has more than doubled, whereas the Government contribution has fallen to 3s. 6d. per week; and whether the Government intend to take-any steps to remedy the grievance?
§ Mr. SAMUELSThe attention of my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary has been called to this matter. As stated in reply to a question by the then hon. Member for North County Dublin, on the 21st January, 1918, this matter cannot be dealt with except in connection with a general revision of local taxation arrangements throughout the United Kingdom, which would involve legislative proposals such as cannot be undertaken at the present time.