HC Deb 11 June 1880 vol 252 cc1759-60
MR. PARNELL

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether, having stated to a deputation which waited upon him recently in Dublin, in reference to the adoption of measures for the relief of distress in Ireland, that further grants would shortly be issued for the purpose of proceeding with works presented at the extraordinary meetings of baronial presentment sessions, he has since ascertained that many of these presentments are illegal, owing to the non-observance of the provisions of the instructions issued by the Lord Lieutenant for the guidance of the presentment sessions; and, if so, whether he can give the House any information as to the proportion of the total number of presentments made at the extraordinary sessions which are thus rendered illegal?

MR. W. E. FORSTER

Sir, the instructions issued by the Lord Lieutenant for the guidance of the extraordinary presentment sessions contained a provision that no presentment for a new road should be passed unless with the consent in writing of the owners and occupiers of the land through which the road was intended to run. In some baronies presentments for new roads were made without such consents having been obtained. The attention of the late Irish Goverment having been called to the illegality of such presentments, they were advised that the proper course to adopt was to apply for and get the consents of the owners and occupiers in all cases where it was possible to do so, and then to proceed with the works. The Board of Works accordingly issued a circular to the county officers calling their attention to the presentments in question, and requesting them to take steps to obtain the requisite consents. This course has proved successful in the very large majority of cases, and the works are actually in progress.

MR. PARNELL

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman, If, in reference to his statement that the late Government was advised to make application to the owners and occupiers for their consent, whether they were so advised by the Law Officers of the Crown; and, if not, whether the opinions of the Law Officers will be taken in reference to it?

MR. W. E. FORSTER

I am informed the advice was generally understood to have been obtained by the late Government from the legal authorities.