§ MR. COX (Clare, E.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ire land, Whether he was correctly informed when he stated that the Ennis Board of Guardians had not lodged the necessary documents with the Local Government Board to authorize that Body to send down their Inspector to Ennis Union to hold an inquiry under the Labourers' Cottages Act; whether, on inquiry, it has since transpired that the documents had been lodged since November last, but were "pigeon-holed" in the Local Government Board Offices; and, if the labourers in this Union will suffer for the negligence or dereliction of duty of the Local Government Board officials by being deprived of the cottages and plots this spring?
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. HOLMES)(who replied) said (Dublin University)There has been no such negligence or dereliction of duty as is suggested. The last of the necessary documents was not received by the Local Government Board until the 2nd of this month. The documents which were in the Office in November related to schemes previously inquired into, and though they could be utilized in connection with the present scheme they were not sufficient; and, as already stated, the necessary documents were not received until long afterwards.