MR. SULLIVANasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, If he can state the date at which the Carrickmacross Board of Guardians sent in their earliest application to have the whole or part of that Union scheduled as a distressed district; if it is true that the Local Government Board, or other Government Department, so wasted time with routine references and formal correspondence that eventually the Guardians were informed that the last day had arrived or expired for seeking the only form of assistance then supposed to be open to them; and, if it is true that, in consequence, the distress existing in the Carrickmacross Union cannot be alleviated by any but Poor Law agencies and public charity?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. GIBSON)Sir, in answer to the Question of the hon. and learned Gentleman, I have to say that the first resolution of the Carrickmacross 1099 Board of Guardians was come to on the 20th of January in the present year. On the 24th January, Mr. MacFarlane, the Inspector of the district in which the Union is situated, was called on to make a Report, and he did send in a Report on the 29th, and again on the 11th of February, the effect of which was against scheduling the Union amongst the distressed Unions. The Correspondence and this Report, and the resolution of the Board of Guardians, were laid before the Local Government Board and his Grace; and they did not think that, under the circumstances, a case had been made out for acceding to the application. A further application of the Guardians reached the Local Government Board on the 28th of February; but it was dated the 24th, and the Guardians were informed on the 28th of February that further application would then be useless, as the 29th of February was the last day for receiving applications for loans. These are the dates.