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X4830.7797A.1/56.3M(32).W.&S.M.(I.)Ltd. G37C. National Economy. FASTENEnvelopebygummingthisLabelacrossflap. OPEN cuttingLabelinsteadoftearingEnvelope. by "A" "F" appendices to W.S. 1413 statement by Ladhg Kennedy. Intrine Riport (appendix A) DÁIL ÉIREANN. COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO LOCAL GOVERNMENT Terms of Reference. To examine and report on the practicability of Irish Local Governing Bodies (Borough Councils, Corporations, County Councils, Urban and Rural Councils, Poor Law Boards &c.) operating without the sanction and in the non-recognition of the British Local Government Board, and (a) if it be found possible to do so, to suggest such economies and reforms as may be needed, and (b) to suggest ways and means of raising and safe-guarding such other revenues as may be needed, and (c) setting out particularly and in detail current financial resources of the various bodies as well as their financial obligations and the estimated financial resources and obligations of each body under the Republic. If it be found to be not practicable to operate without the samction and in the non-recognition of the British Local Government Board immediately, then (a) to report as to how the minimum of recognition may be given to the British Local Government Board with the maximum of inconvenience to that Body, and (b) to devise and put forward measures calculated to harass the British Local Government Board, and make the local councils more and more independent of that body with a view, eventually,, to bringing about the position desired in paragraph I, and (c) generally to investigate the relationship of the British Local Government Board to our local Bodies, and to show how certain services may be discontinued altogether, or how their peculiar incidence may be altered to bring about 1 and (a) and (b) in 2. DÁIL ÉIREANN COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO LOCAL GOVERNMENT MEMBERS OF COMMISSION CAOIMGHIN O'hUIGIN T.D. CHAIRMAN. BRIAN O'CIOSOG T.D. E. DUGGAN T.D. R.F. HAYES T.D., M.D. TADY O'CINNEIDE, ACCOUNTANT, KERRY CO. COUNCIL. SEAMUS MA. LAOIDHLEIS, T.C. DUBLIN. ALASDAIR MAC CABA T.D. JOSEPH McDONAGH T.D., ALD. DUBLIN. JAS. T. McGEE, COUNTY COUNCIL. TOIRDHEALBHAC MacSUIBHNE T.D. LORD MAYOR OF CORK. W. O'CALLAGHAN, MAYOR OF LIMERICK. STEPHEN O'MARA T.C. LIMERICK. D. CAROLAN, RUSHE, SECRETARY COUNTY COUNCIL, MONAGHAN. T.M. McRUSSEAL, COUNTY COUNCIL, OFFALLY. Wm, SEARS T.D., U.D.C. RATHMINES. SEAMUS BREATHNACH T.D. SIOBHAN BEAN AN PUORAIGH T.C., DUBLIN. JOSEPH McGRATH T.D. T.C. DUBLIN JAMES McNEILL COUNTY COUNCIL DUBLIN RUAIDRI O'CONCHUBHAIR, RUNAIDHE. DÁIL ÉIREANN. COMMISSION OF ENQUIRY I INTO LOCAL GOVERNMENT INTERIM REPORT The Commission appointed by the Ministry of Dail Eireann, having held three sittings in Dublin, viz. on Tuesday, 27th July, 1920, Tuesday 3rdAugust, 1920, and Wednesday 4th August, 1920, decided to forward an Interim Report, in view of the urgency of the matter of safeguarding funds at present in the hands of various local bodies, as disclosed in particular in the evidence submitted by the witnesses representing the County Councils of Clare, Meath and Wicklow. makes the The Commission, therefore, following recommendations: (1) That immediate steps be taken to safeguard Public Funds at present in the hands of the various public bodies, and to stop the payments into Banks as Treasurers under the British Local Government Acts of monies now being collected. (2) That Dáil Éireann approve the scheme submitted by the County Council of County Clare to be applied not only to that County but also to others similarly situated, subject, so far as the financial proposals are concerned, to the report of the Committee on Finance appointed by the Commission. See appendix B. (3) Having considered a memorandum handed in by Mr. Jas. McNeill Co. Council, Dublin, which showed that the position of Dublin County differs in vital respect from that of Clare County, the Commission decided on receipt of replies to queries already forwarded to various councils throughout Ireland to group these Councils into classes in similar financial positions, and to prepare schemes to cover the difficulties of each group, all such schemes to be based on the recognition of the break with the Local Government Board as being now definite. (4) That the Report of the Committee on Finance be approved. The Committee appointed by the Commission consisted of the Minister of Local Government, Alderman W. Cosgrave T.D., The Rt. Hon. the Lord Mayor of Cork, Terence MacSweeney T.D., Jas, McNeill, Dublin County Council and T.P. Kennedy, Accountant, Kerry Co. Council. The Committee met the Minister of Finance with a view to consulting him on the subject of the safeguarding of funds in hand, the raising of Revenue, Income Tax, Annuities, Interest on Loans, Licenses &c., and the question of interviewing the Irish Bank Officials as to their position and willingness to co-operate in the administration of the Republican Funds. That be made for the (5) provision Auditing by properly quali-fied Auditors of the Accounts of all public Bodies under the Local Government Department of Dáil Éireann. (6) That all Councils should seriously consider such economies as are feasable under present conditions, e.g. abolishing of workhouses, ascertaining what materials, which must necessarily be purchased during the year, and which may still be the subject of Contracts or Agreements, could be obtained more cheaply. (a) By ordering direct from producers. (b) By combining orders for institutions and bodies which at present make independent arrangements for supplies. That the Executives of Organised Labour be approached by Local Councils with a view to: (a) restraining demands for increases of wakes during this crisis, it being provided by the Council that a living wage be established. (b) Preventing the transport of goods or property of Public Bodies or Citizens, which may be seized by the British Government for the recoupment of their losses. That the Local Bodies 0be instructed to take adequate steps to safeguard all Rate Books and documents, and that, where it has not already been done, all such books and documents should be duplicated. That on a date to be fixed after the transfer to safe custody of all funds in the hands of Public Bodies, such Bodies shall (a) formally cease all further connection with the English Local Government Board, by refusing to communicate with them, or to admit their auditors or other servants to the premises of the Council. (b) Call on all between the of to men ages l8 and 40 join the Irish for Republican Army the purpose of strength-ening the forces of the Irish Republic, thereby en-abling the Ministry of Defence to deal adequately with the present crisis. Signed CAOIMGHIN O'hUIGIN CHAIRMAN 5/ 8/ 20. RUAIDRI O'CONCHUBHAIR. Secretary. Appendix A CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL Memorandum of Scheme prepared by County Council on 24th July, 1920 for dealing with the new financial situation as regards Rates and Grants and for functioning on their own under the direction of Dail Eireann. 1. All rates to be lodged with three Trustees selected by the Council and not with existing Treasurer. 2. Paymaster to be appointed by the Council to receive Rates from Rate Collectors and hand same to the Trustees. 3. Existing procedure as regards checking of Rate Collector's accounts, and certification of bills for payment, including road worker's wages, to be adhered to. 4. Paymaster to furnish each Road Overseer with sufficient cash to pay the road workers in his district fortnightly or at other stated times as per statement to be supplied him by the County Secretary. 5. Road Overseer to be accompanied by a local officer of Volunteers to see that the proper persons get paid and that the men's receipts are obtained on the Pay Sheets which will be in the Overseers possession. 6. Paymaster to enter into a bond with the County Council of such amount as the Council shall determine the Security to be a Guarantee Society. 7. If necessary, Rate Collectors to resign their present appointments on guarantee of reappointment and recognition of their past service for pensionable purposes. 8. Public Bodies (District Councils and Boards of Guardians) to be financed, and payment of salaries and fees of officials and accounts other than workmen's wages made by means of Bank Draft, per list to be supplied to the Paymaster by the County Secretary. 9. That in the event of the Agricultural Grant being withheld by the British Government for any purpose, steps to be taken to make a corresponding levy on the Landlord or his successor in possession by directing each tenant to deduct from his rent, annuity or interest in lieu of rent, such sum as the Landlord would have paid in the "Standard Year" as defined in the Act of 1898, and to hand same to the County Council, As the Agricultural Grant was given in relief of the Landlord, it; follows that if the grant be withheld, Landlords will again become liable for rates as in the "Standard Year". Public Bodies who are Landlords within a County are to be exempt from this direct levy. Appendix B REPORT OF COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO INTERVIEW THE MINISTER OF FINANCE The Committee as appointed duly met the Minister of Finance on the questions of (a) the custody and safeguarding of funds now in hands with various Councils throughout Ireland, (b) the raising of revenue to provide the various Councils with the necessary grants n aid of local taxation now to be withheld by the British Treasury under the new Coercion Bill, (c) the interviewing of Bankers with regard to their position as treasurers.