asked the President if he is in a position to state how it is proposed to apply the land annuities due the 1st of June, 1932, and now in course of collection, and if he will state the date from which the complete de-rating of agricultural land in Saorstát Eireann will commence.

I am not in a position to make a statement on these matters at the moment. The Government's proposal will be laid before the Dáil in due course.

Arising out of the Vice-President's answer, I wish to ask him if he does not think that the time has now arrived when he can most usefully state to the farmers of the Saorstát if the promises of agricultural de-rating out of the land annuities made prior to the last General Election and upon the faith of which the present Government was returned to power was nothing but an electioneering sham?