§ MR. WILLIAM CORBET (Wicklow, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been called to a Report just made by the County Surveyor of Wicklow to the Grand Jury with reference to Greystones Harbour, in which he says:—
The pier protects the harbour from gales varying from north-east to south-east. Before its construction any shingle that travelled from the north was caused to travel back again by gales from the south-east, but now the pier shelters the beach from these winds, so that it has been raised by successive deposits of shingle, and the accumulation over a large portion of the bed of the harbour is now enormous. … 181 Within the last eight months an accumulation of five feet six inches in depth has taken place at the inner quoin of the pier. In fact, this point is now dry at low water, where vessels drawing 10 feet could formerly come alongside about two hours after low water;and whether the Treasury will reconsider the question of a permanent north groin, and take steps to have the shingle cleared out of the harbour?
§ * THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (MR. JACKSON, Leeds, N.)The hon. Member has been so good as to furnish me with the Report referred to in his question. I think the material point to remember is that there is ample accommodation for all present requirements at Greystones. This being so, it would, in my opinion, be premature to talk of removing the accumulated shingle, and, as regards the permanent north groyne, I prefer to wait to see the effect of the temporary groynes, the construction of which has been sanctioned.
§ MR. CORBETWill any steps be taken to remove the silt from the harbour?
§ * MR. JACKSONIn the opinion of the Board of Works it is not desirable to attempt to deal with it now, even if it be found necessary to deal with it ultimately. It is considered desirable, in the first place, to try the experiment of putting in a wooden groin in order to see if that will stop the silting.