§ MR. COOPEasked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether it is a fact that 80 designs were submitted in competition for the Science and Art Museum, Dublin, of which five were selected; whether the Treasury, in accordance with the original conditions of competition, guaranteed to carry out one of them, the works to be executed under the superintendence of its author; whether, notwithstanding this pledge on the part of the Government, the Treasury is now making arrangements for a fresh competition; and, whether such a procedure is consistent with justice as regards the successful competitors?
§ MR. COURTNEY,in reply, said, that it was the fact that five designs for carrying out the original scheme were selected; but no guarantee was given that one of them would, in any case, be carried out. In point of fact, the original competition contemplated nothing of the kind. In deference to local opinion, the former scheme was abandoned, and quite a different one substituted for it; and it was for this that a new competition was about to be instituted. The 371 position of the architects formerly selected would not be forgotten, and he had now before him Papers on the question.