§ MR. O'SHAUGHNESSY, in rising to call attention to the circumstances connected with some drainage works in the County Limerick, said, that there had been a Memorial on the subject, and the question, he hoped, would be raised next Session. Was there, he asked, to be no remedy for failures of this kind, where works, as he understood, were initiated under the supervision of the Board of Works of Ireland? He thought that the principle involved was a dangerous one—namely, that if the Board of Works approved of a certain plan an immense amount of money was to be spent upon it. If they were to be free from responsibility, he thought it was a grave defect in the system. They ought to examine the works while they were in progress, and see that the plans were carried out before any public money was expended upon them. He doubted whether the law, as it stood, relieved the Board of Works from this duty. If they looked into 26 & 27 Vict., they would find that a duty was imposed upon the Board not merely of planning these works, but of suggesting, from time to time, any works which might be necessary. He thought that the whole matter really deserved to be inquired into, in order to see whether the present state of things was the result of a system, or was due to maladministration. He would endeavour to bring this matter in a formal way before the House hereafter; but, at the same time, he hoped that some explanation would be given now.
§ SIR HENRY SELWIN-IBBETSONsaid, he could fully sympathize with the hon. and learned Member in the disappointment that must be felt in the district at the failure of such an important scheme as this seemed to have been. With regard to the responsibility falling upon the Board of Works, he thought it ought to be definitely understood that the responsibility did not rest with that body. In this particular instance the plans were approved of, and were intrusted to another engineer, who carried out the scheme under the drainage authorities of the district. When he reported it to the engineer a meeting was held, at which objections were to 963 be taken. At the second meeting the scheme was submitted to those present, and no objections being taken the engineer apportioned the expenditure, and after that the responsibility on behalf of the Board of Works practically ceased. He did not deny the necessity of an inquiry into the question whether better supervision could not be established; but he was advised, in this particular instance, that the responsibility of the Board of Works had ceased since September, 1877.
§ Bill read the third time, and passed.