Representation of Ireland in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom.

13. Unless and until the Parliament of the United Kingdom otherwise determine, the following provisions shall have effect:—

(1) After the appointed day the number of members returned by constituencies in Ireland to serve in the Parliament of the United Kingdom shall be forty-two and the constituencies returning those members shall (in lieu of the existing constituencies) be the constituencies named in the second Part of the First Schedule to this Act, and no University in Ireland shall return a member to the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

(2) The election laws and the laws relating to the qualification of parliamentary electors shall not, so far as they relate to elections of members returned by constituencies in Ireland to serve in the Parliament of the United Kingdom, be altered by the Irish Parliament, but this enactment shall not prevent the Irish Parliament from dealing with any officers concerned with the issue of writs of election, and if any officers are so dealt with, it shall be lawful for His Majesty by Order in Council to arrange for the issue of any such writs, and the writs issued in pursuance of the Order shall be of the same effect as if issued in manner heretofore accustomed.

So far for the constitutional clauses. The clauses from 14 to 26 are occupied with finance. They are so technical that it will be more convenient to substitute the terms of the very clear Memorandum issued by the Government:—

OUTLINE OF FINANCIAL PROVISIONS.

Present Irish Revenue and Expenditure.

It is estimated that the revenue to be derived from Ireland in the year 1912-13 will be as follows:—

£
Customs3,230,000
Excise3,320,000
Income tax1,512,000
Estate duties939,000
Stamps347,000
Miscellaneous137,000
Post Office1,354,000
Total10,839,000