§ COLONEL FRENCHsaid, he desired to ask the Chief Secretary for Ireland, If any steps have been taken by the Irish Government to inquire into the facts contained in the Memorial presented to the Lord Lieutenant relative to the condition of the Rivers Shannon and Swabe agreed to at a Public Meeting of the Landowners, Landholders, &c, held at Athlone in November last; and when a reply to such Memorial may be expected?
MR. PEELin reply said, that the Memorial had been considered, and that the Treasury was about to communicate with the Irish Government upon the subject. He might at the same time state that there would he no objection to an investigation limited to inquiring whether, without lessening the facilities of navigation which had been obtained at so large an expenditure of public money, it might be possible to do anything to diminish the liability to flooding of the lands adjoining the Shannon. That inquiry would only be undertaken upon two conditions—one that the memorialists or landowners should undertake to defray one-half of its cost; and the other, that the cost of any works which might be recommended should be defrayed by the owners of land.
§ COLONEL FRENCHsaid, he wished to inquire whether the right hon. Gentleman proposed to return to the counties the £300,000 which had been raised for works not executed?
MR. PEELsaid, he believed that there was no evidence to show that the Shannon Commissioners did not carry out all the works which were contemplated at the time the Act which appointed them was passed.