§ MR. PARNELLasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been directed to the starving condition of the people in the parish of Cliffoney, county Sligo; whether he is aware that many families there and on the fishing coast of Mullaghmore are at present in a state of starvation; whether it is the fact that the Poor Law Guardians of Cliffoney represented to the Local Government Board the great want and destitution 1435 existing on the island of Innesmurry; whether a gunboat was some time afterwards despatched by the Board with some provisions; whether her cargo only consisted of 4 cwt. of Indian meal, barely a mouthful for the one hundred famishing souls on the island; and, whether the Government purpose taking any steps to allay the distress prevailing among these poor people?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, the Local Government Board informed me that in the month of December last they had before them a representation from the Guardians of Sligo Union that there was distress on the parts of the coast named (Cliffoney and Mullaghmore). They then satisfied themselves that there was no exceptional distress which could not be met by the ordinary operation of the Poor Law, and they have now no reason to alter that opinion. On the 30th of January the ratepayers of Cliffoney called a meeting, and asked the Guardians to call on the Government to extend the benefit of reproductive works to all tenants who pay rates; but there was no special mention as to distress. With this exception there has been no more recent representation as to the mainland; but the state of the people of the Island of Innesmurry has been specially investigated. A gunboat was placed at the disposal of the Local Government Inspector (Major Spaight) to enable him to visit Innesmurry; but, owing to the dangerous character of the coast and the continuance of stormy weather, four weeks elapsed before he was able to get an opportunity of landing. He took with him 10 cwt. of Indian meal; but after visiting all the families in the Island, numbering 14, he did not consider it necessary to leave more than 4 cwt., which amount he distributed between three families. He reports that there is not, in his opinion, any danger of any of the people on the Island suffering from starvation.