(7.) If it appears to Her Majesty that the expenditure in respect of the Royal Irish Constabulary and the Dublin Metropolitan Police for any financial year has been less than the contribution above named on account of such constabulary and police, the current contribution shall be diminished by the amount of such difference.

(8.) This section shall take effect from and after the thirty-first day of March, one thousand eight hundred and eighty-seven.

[Sidenote:  Collection and application of customs and excise duties in Ireland.]

14.—­(1.) On and after such day as the Treasury may direct all moneys from time to time collected in Ireland on account of the duties of customs or the duties of excise as defined by this Act shall, under such regulations as the Treasury from time to time make, be carried to a separate account (in this Act referred to as the customs and excise account) and applied in the payment of the following sums in priority as mentioned in this section; that is to say,—­

First, of such sum as is from time to time directed by the Treasury in respect of the costs, charges, and expenses of and incident to the collection and management of the said duties in Ireland not exceeding four per cent. of the amount collected there;

     Secondly, of the annual contributions required by this Act to be
     made to the Consolidated Fund of the United Kingdom;

     Thirdly, of the annual sums required by this Act to be paid to the
     Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt;

     Fourthly, of all sums by this Act declared to be payable out of the
     moneys carried to the customs and excise account;

Fifthly, of all sums due to the Consolidated Fund of the United Kingdom for interest or sinking fund, in respect of any loans made by the issue of bank annuities or otherwise to the Government of Ireland under any Act passed in the present session relating to the purchase and sale of land in Ireland, so far as such sums are not defrayed out of the moneys received under such Act;

(2.) So much of the moneys carried to a separate account under this section as the Treasury consider are not, and are not likely to be, required to meet the above-mentioned payments, shall from time to time be paid over and applied as part of the public revenues under the control of the Irish Government.

[Sidenote:  Charges on Irish Consolidated Fund.]

15.—­(1.) There shall be charged on the Irish Consolidated Fund in priority as mentioned in this section:—­

First, such portion of the sums directed by this Act to be paid out of the moneys carried to the customs and excise account in priority to any payment for the public revenues of Ireland, as those moneys are insufficient to pay;

     Secondly, all sums due in respect of any debt incurred by the
     Government of Ireland, whether for interest, management, or sinking
     fund;