MR. O'BRIENasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is true that 410 applications for outdoor relief for nearly 2,000 souls were made on Monday at the Bunbeg Dispensary, in the Dunfanaghy Union, and were unattended to, owing to the non-attendance of the relieving officer and the departure of his substitute at an hour in the morning before the applications could be made; whether numbers of these applicants, some of whom had travelled long distances, were in a starving condition, and could obtain no relief, except through the diminishing aid of private charity; and, whether the Local Government Board will take any steps to compel the Dunfanaghy Board of Guardians to afford outdoor relief to the poor?
§ MR. TREVELYANAs this Question only appeared on the Paper yesterday, there has not been time to obtain a written Report; but I have received a copy of a telegram sent to the Local Government Board by their Inspector, Dr. Woodhouse, who had been directed to make inquiry on the subject. From that telegram it appears that the relieving officer having been disabled by an accident, his son has been appointed to act as his substitute. He attended at Bun-beg on Monday at his father's usual hour—the telegram does not mention the hour—and waited until 12 o'clock in the day, up to which hour no applications for relief were received. He then left. Further particulars are expected by post. 554 In the meantime, it does not seem likely that the facts are as grave as is indicated by the Question; as, if the circumstances and condition of the people were such as described, they would, no doubt, have attended at Bunbeg at the usual hour, or would have applied to the relieving officer at his house. But I prefer not passing judgment upon the matter until I get particulars.
MR. O'BRIENsaid, the right hon. Gentleman had not answered whether it was not a fact that the Dunfanaghy Guardians had persistently disobeyed the instructions of the Local Government Board with reference to the giving of outdoor relief?
§ MR. TREVELYANimagined he could hardly describe the Guardians as having deviated from the instructions of the Local Government Board. They had acted, according to their judgment, within their legal powers; and the Local Government Board could not interfere with them without altogether overstepping the principles of local responsibility.
MR. O'BRIENIs it not so that the Board have not, as a matter of fact, given any outdoor relief, although the Local Government Board Inspector reports that ono-third of the people are without visible means of subsistence?
§ [No reply was given.]