§ Mr. GUINEYasked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) the total contribution made out of Irish rates to the Cattle Diseases (Ireland) Fund during the years 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911, and 1912; what was the Exchequer contribution for the same years; is it optional with the county councils in Ireland to levy this rate; what was the expenditure during these years, and for what purpose; and will the Exchequer contribution be increased according to the increased expenditure rendered necessary this year?
§ Mr. T. W. RUSSELLThe total contribution made out of the local rates in Ireland to the General Cattle Diseases Fund in the period of four completed years from 1st April, 1908, to 31st March, 1912, was £65,300. The Exchequer contribution in the same period was £40,800. It is a statutory obligation on the county and county borough councils to meet the assessments for the purposes of the General Cattle Diseases Fund from any moneys in the hands of their treasurers. The net total expenditure in the period of four completed financial years ended on 31st March last was £103,722. The purposes were the recoupments to local authorities of one-half the expenditure incurred by them in carrying out the provisions of the Diseases of Animals Act, 1894; and the payment of expenditure incurred by the Department in connection with swine fever, namely, payment of compensation to owners of slaughtered swine, the remuneration of inspectors and others employed254W on swine fever work, incidental expenses of slaughter, burial, cleansing, and disinfection of premises, etc. A Supplementary Estimate will be submitted in due course for a special Parliamentary Grant-in-Aid of the expenditure incurred by the Department in connection with the foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks in the present year.