(2) Collection of Inland revenue £160,000
(3) Postal service £790,000
(4) Contribution to Irish Constabulary £1,000,000
Total £5,160,000
Surplus £500,000
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 [pg 137] 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