§ Mr. F. Shaw,seeing the noble Lord, the Secretary for Ireland in his place, wished to ask him one question. It would be recollected, that the hon. Member for Roscommon asked, the other night, whether her Majesty's Government had made up their minds to adopt any plan for railways in Ireland. As he understood the noble Lord's answer to that question, it was, that several plans which had been forwarded to him had been referred to the consideration of the Government, who had not as yet come to any decision upon them, either for their adoption or not. He would be glad if the noble Lord would now say whether his impression was correct, and if the noble Lord was able to assure him that the plans were now under the consideration of her Majesty's Government, and that no decision had as yet been come to either one way or the other?
§ Lord Eliotreplied, that the right hon. Gentleman was perfectly right as to what he said or intended to say the other night. The plans of several parties for railways in Ireland, submitted to him, had been sent for the consideration of Ministers; he was not prepared to state what the decision of Government would be; but he had added, on his own responsibility, and from what he knew of the sentiments of the right hon. Baronet (Sir Robert Peel), that Government would not sanction any plan which would require an advance of public money, or saddle the country with any guarantee as to the amount of interest.