§ COLONEL KING-HARMANasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is true that fresh regulations have recently been made, by Order of Council or otherwise, in Dublin, by which the rules hitherto in force relative to the storage of gunpowder have been altered; whether private holders of gunpowder, who have hitherto stored their gunpowder in the magazine in the Phoenix Park, have had notice given them that they would have to remove their stores; and, whether Messrs. Curtis and Harvey have intimated their intention of erecting a powder magazine in the neighbourhood of Lantry, in a locality which cannot be protected by any force except patrols from the neighbouring police barrack?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, the facts are as stated in the first two paragraphs of the Question. The change is made in deference to the strong and often repeated protest of the military authorities against the practice of storing merchants' gunpowder in military magazines. Ample time was allowed for the provision of suitable accommodation elsewhere. No intimation has been made to the Irish Government by Messrs. Curtis and Harvey of their intention of erecting a magazine at Lantry. The Explosives Act of 1875 is administered by the Home Secretary, and applicants for licences must satisfy him that any proposed magazine complies with the Act and with the Orders in Council in pursuance of it to insure the public safety.
§ COLONEL KING-HARMANasked if the Irish Executive would take measures to secure that any powder magazine erected outside Dublin was not dangerous to the public safety?
§ MR. TREVELYANsaid, this was a matter in which the Irish Executive would not interfere unless the Home Office thought the place too far off, and asked them to act in the matter.