MR. O'BRIENasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is true that some eighty families are to be evicted this week on the Olphert, Nixon, and Stewart estates, in the parish of Gweedore, county Donegal; whether the greater number of these families are excessively poor, and were preserved from starvation by charitable relief during the summer of last year; whether one of the landlords is Chairman of the Dunfanaghy Board of Guardians, and the son of another Vice Chairman; and, whether, in view of these facts, and of the repeated refusal of the Dunfanaghy Board of Guardians to give out-door relief, the Government will take steps to insure that out-door relief shall be available for the evicted families during the month following the evictions, according to the power vested in the Guardians by the 11th and 12th Vic. c. 47?
§ MR. TREVELYANEvictions are, I understand, about to take place, as stated. The district is a very poor one, and a number of the people received a good deal of charitable assistance last year. Mr. Olphert is Chairman of the Dunfanaghy Board of Guardians. I am not aware whether either of the other landlords mentioned is a son of the Vice Chairman. The power to give out-door relief, to which the hon. Member refers, is expressly vested in the Guardians, "if they see fit." The decision rests absolutely with them, and the Local Government Board cannot interfere.
MR. O'BRIENasked, was it not a fact that the Sub-Commissioners have made very large reductions in the rents on the farms of the persons to be evicted; and, whether, as it was in order to deprive the poor people of the benefit of these reductions they were now being evicted, the right hon. Gentleman would not think fit to interfere in the matter?
§ MR. TREVELYANI am not aware about the question of redistribution; and I have no means of interposing in the matter, except by extra official advice.