§ CAPTAIN NOLANasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, What are the existing facilities for the amalgamation of Poor Law Unions when desired by the ratepayers, and if any applications for amalgamation have been made to the Local Government Board of Ireland or to the former Poor-Law authorities?
§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH, in reply, said, he believed the existing law afforded all necessary facilities for the alteration of the boundaries of Poor Law Unions in Ireland if the consent of the Local Government Board could be obtained to any proposed change of the kind. A general re-arrangement of this kind was made in 1819–50, and since then various applications had been made to the Poor Law Board to exercise its functions in the matter. Each of these applications had been considered on its merits, and the hon. Member would find a good deal of information on the subject in the Reports of the Poor Law Board for 1866 and 1867. An application of the kind was still pending.