In 1898 a Local Government Bill was passed for Ireland which placed the
administration of the poor law and other local affairs for rural
districts on the same footing as in England. The rule of the Grand
Juries, which had lasted for two and a half centuries, and which had, on
the whole, carried on local affairs with credit and success, was now
entirely swept away, and elected bodies were placed in full control of
local taxation, administration, and patronage. In the case of the larger
towns free municipal institutions had already existed for some sixty
years. In these the franchise was now reduced, and is wide enough both
in town and country to admit every class of the population. Since 1899
the new elective bodies have had important duties to fulfil in regard to
the development of agriculture and technical instruction.