But most extraordinary of all are the provisions as to finance.  The Government appointed a Committee of Experts to consider this question.  The committee made their report; but the Government rejected their advice and substituted another plan which is so elaborate that it is only possible to touch on some of its more important features here.  I have already said that the English Parliament will have no power to tax Ireland.  That statement, however, must be taken subject to two reservations.  The Bill provides that if ever the happy day arrives when for three consecutive years the revenue of Ireland has exceeded the cost of government, the English Parliament (with the addition of twenty-three extra members summoned from Ireland for the purpose) may make new provisions securing from Ireland a contribution towards Imperial expenditure.  As this is the only reference to the subject in the Bill, the general opinion was that until those improbable circumstances should occur, the English Parliament would have no power to tax Ireland; but when the debates were drawing to a close, the Government astonished the House by stating that according to their construction of the Bill, should any new emergency arise at any time after the Bill becomes law (for instance, a great naval emergency requiring an addition to the Income Tax) it would be not merely the right but also the duty of the Imperial Chancellor of the Exchequer to see that the charge should be borne by the whole United Kingdom—­in other words, the Parliament in which Ireland possesses only forty-two representatives may and ought to tax Ireland for Imperial purposes.  The friction which will arise should any attempt of the sort be made, especially as the power is not stated in the Bill, is evident.  In plain words, it will be impossible to levy the tax.

But apart from these rights, which one may safely say will never be exercised, the financial arrangements will from their very complexity be a constant source of trouble.  All taxes levied in Ireland are to be paid into the English Exchequer (or as it is called in the Bill “The Exchequer of the United Kingdom").  Some of the objects for which these taxes have been levied are to be managed by the Irish Government—­these are called “Irish services”; others are to be managed by the English Government—­these are called “Reserved services.”  The English Exchequer will then hand over to the Irish Exchequer:—­

    (a) A sum representing the net cost to the Exchequer of the
    United Kingdom of “Irish Services” at the time of the passing
    of the Act;

    (b) The sum of L500,000 a year, reducible to L200,000, above
    referred to; and

    (c) A sum equal to the proceeds of any new taxes levied by the
    Irish Parliament.