The New Irish Constitution: An Exposition and Some Arguments
History
The New Irish Constitution: An Exposition and Some Arguments
Home rule -- Ireland; Ireland -- Politics and government
The Bill passed the House of Commons, but the financial clauses were
greatly recast in Committee. The changes originated in the fact that the
Inland revenue had overestimated the “true” revenue of Excise by a very
considerable sum, and the error would have reduced to an insignificant sum
the free starting balance for the Irish Government provided in the
original scheme. Mr. Gladstone decided in consequence not to keep the
Customs revenue as Ireland’s contribution to Imperial expenditure, but to
let that revenue fall into the common stock of Irish revenue and to take
out of that common stock one third of the “true” Irish revenue. This third
was to cover Ireland’s contribution to Imperial expenditure together with
one third of the cost of the Irish constabulary and Dublin police. Ireland
was to meet all her local charges out of the remaining Irish revenue. The
Imperial Government was to retain for six years the imposition and
collection of all taxes; the Irish Government having only supplementary
powers of taxation. At the end of six years the Irish contribution was to
be revised, and Ireland would be empowered to impose taxes other than
Customs and Excise, and she would collect taxes, the Customs alone being
retained by the Imperial authorities. The “true” revenue derived from the
Customs and Excise was to be ascertained by a Joint Committee of the
Treasury and the Irish Government. The financial result of these changes
is shown in the following figures:
(1) Customs:
Revenue collected in Ireland £2,136,000
_Add_ estimated allowance for duties paid in Great Britain on articles
consumed in Ireland £266,000
Total estimated Irish revenue £2,402,000; Amount Payable to Irish
Exchequer Two-Thirds £1,601,000
(2) Excise:
(_a_) Spirits. Revenue collected in Ireland £4,112,000
_Deduct_ duties ascertained to be paid in Ireland on spirits consumed
in Great Britain £1,872,000
Total £2,240,000
(_b_) Beer. Revenue collected in Ireland £811,000
_Deduct_ estimated allowance for duties paid in Ireland on beer
consumed in Great Britain £187,000
Total £624,000
(_c_) Licence duties collected in Ireland £194,000
Total estimated £3,058,000; payable to Exchequer £2,039,000
(3) Stamp duties collected in Ireland £707,000 estimated, £471,000
payable
(4) Income-tax collected in Ireland £552,000 estimated, £368,000 payable
(5) Crown Lands amount estimated to be due to £65,000 estimated, £43,000
payable
Total £6,784,000 estimated, £4,522,000 payable
(6) Miscellaneous Irish Revenue £138,000 estimated, £138,000 payable
Totals £6,922,000 estimated, £4,660,000 payable
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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