§ MR. LEAasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, If it is a fact that the sanction of the Treasury was given some time ago for grants towards three piers in county Donegal: — at Bally-saggart, Poalhurrin, and Bunnatroohan; that the one-fourth required was paid to the Board of Works, and all preliminaries required by the Act complied with; and, if so, what reason exists for delay in commencing works in those localities where employment is so much required?
§ LORD FREDERICK CAVENDISHSir, the preliminaries in respect of the piers mentioned were completed on the 14th of April, the Treasury having previously given their sanction for grants in aid, and the local contribution having been paid in. Difficulties have, however, been met with in obtaining contracts for the works; but contracts were entered into for Bunnatroohan on the 28th of May, for Ballysaggart on the 1st of Juno, and for Poalhurrin on the 11th of June. The contractors are now collecting materials for the works, and the Board of Works will urge upon them the desirability of proceeding with them as soon as possible.
MR. O'CONNOR POWERasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the Departmental Committee appointed to report on the most desirable places on the Irish Coast for the construction of Fishery Piers and Harbours had yet made a report; and, if not, when they may be expected to do so; and, whether the Board of Works will be in a position to secure the Canadian Grants by having the works which shall be decided on proceeded with before the 1st of August?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTER, in reply, said, the Committee had not yet made their Report, as they had very many applications to take into their consideration. They were, however, quite aware of the necessity which existed for expedition, and he had no doubt that they would arrive at a conclusion as soon as possible. In answer to the second Question, he had to state that it would depend entirely on whether the Belief of Distress Bill would be passed in sufficient time to enable the preparatory notices to be given whether the works would be proceeded with before the date named.
MR. O'CONNOR POWERsaid, as the present was the second time he had asked the right hon. Gentleman a Question about the Committee, he suspected it was doing absolutely nothing. He would now ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the Committee was actually sitting, and had taken any steps to carry out the object for which it was appointed?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERsaid, that unofficially every Member of the Committee was working in the matter, al- 294 though he was not sure in the case of the Representative of the Admiralty. Whether the Committee had held an official meeting or not he did not know; but there was not, at all events, the slightest danger that any of the Canadian grants would be lost owing to any remissness in the action of the Committee.
MR. O'CONNOR POWERgave Notice that on the Motion for going into Committee on the Irish Belief Bill he would call attention to the inefficiency of the Irish Fishery Piers Departmental Committee, and to the necessity of improving the machinery for administering the provisions of that Bill, part of which had reference to this Irish Fishery Committee.