Local Government (Ireland) Act, 1898

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Powers of county council as to exceptional distress.

25 & 26 Vict. c. 83.

13.—(1) Where the guardians of any union satisfy the council of a county that exceptional distress exists in some district electoral division situate both in the union and in the county, and the council apply to the Local Government Board, that Board may, if they think fit, by order authorise the guardians, subject to the prescribed conditions, to administer relief out of the workhouse for any time not exceeding two months from the date of the order to poor persons of any description resident in the said electoral division, and may revoke any such order either wholly or partly or with reference to any particular class of persons.

(2) Section two of the Poor Relief (Ireland) Act, 1862 (which excludes an occupier of more than a quarter of an acre from being relieved otherwise than in the workhouse), shall not apply as regards relief given under this section.

(3) One half of any expenditure incurred in pursuance of an order under this section shall be levied off the county at large (so, however, that the total amount of such expenditure levied off the county at large in any one year shall not exceed a sum equal to threepence in the pound on the rateable value of the county), and the council of the county may nominate one of their members who shall be an additional member of the board of guardians for the period fixed by the order.

(4) The guardians may, with the consent of the Local Government Board, obtain for the purpose of this section temporary advances of such amount and for such period and repayable in such manner as that Board may sanction, and may mortgage their property and funds to secure such advances.