HC Deb 13 March 1883 vol 277 cc361-2
MR. P. MARTIN

asked the Secretary of the Treasury, Whether his attention has been drawn to the statement in the Report and Evidence laid before the then Government, in June, 1878, by the Committee appointed to inquire into the Board of Works (Ireland), that the action of the Board in respect to drainage and other matters has been greatly obstructed by reason of the very many obsolete, amending, complicated, and contradictory Acts of Parliament which control and fetter the Board in their exercise of the statutory powers and duties entrusted to them by Parliament, and to the recommendation of the Committee that the immediate consolidation of those Acts was desirable; and, whether, considering that the late Chief Secretary for Ireland, in May 1880, assured the House that such a Bill would be laid by the Treasury upon the Table within a reasonable time, if he could now state what steps, if any, have been taken to give effect to those promises and the recommendations of the Committee; and is it the intention of the Treasury, and, if so, when, during the Session, to introduce a Bill to make the Law by which the action of the Board is to be regulated plain and simple?

MR. COURTNEY

Sir, I have read the Report of the Committee in question, and my own experience bears out the truth of what they say as to the state of the law relating to the operations of the Board of Works in Ireland. The consolidation of these Statutes was commenced in 1880; but, owing to the course of events in Ireland, could not then be proceeded with. I have, however, been recently engaged upon the subject, and hope to lay on the Table, during the present Session, two Bills consolidating and amending the laws relating to the functions of the Board of Works and to land drainage in Ireland. I propose to avail myself of the results of English experience and legislation on the same subjects, and to introduce such improvements in the law as experience has suggested. There will be little prospect of such Bills passing, unless their progress is assisted by those interested in the progress and prosperity of Ireland; and I therefore appeal to hon. Members from Ireland for co-operation. Any suggestions which may be offered will be carefully considered by Government, and should be addressed to me at the Treasury.