§ MR. COXI beg to ask the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether it is a fact, as stated in the Freeman's Journal to-day, that an agreement has been come to between the Treasury and the Great Western Railway of Ireland for the construction of a light railway, and whether, in view of the threatened potato famine, he will quickly introduce a Bill so that employment may be given to the people in the district?
§ MR. T. M. HEALYOn behalf of the hon. Member for South Cork I have to ask a similar question in regard to the condition of affairs in the neighbourhood of Skibbereen, and as to the intention of the Government to construct a line to Baltimore. I hear on the authority of the parish priest that on Achill Island the potato crop is entirely blighted.
§ MR. SEXTONI would ask the right hon. Gentleman whether it is not stated that in Mayo, unless there are speedy measures of relief, there will be a partial, if not a general, famine?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThere is no doubt that disease does exist in great parts of the South and West of Ireland. Most unquestionably it would be desirable in view of possible eventualities that every effort should be made to push on the construction of the light railways in these districts. Certain difficulties, however, have arisen with regard to the Mayo and Galway line from the fact that the presentments at last Assize contained certain flaws which made it absolutely necessary for them to go to 524 the Grand Jury again; but in ordinary course the Grand Jury does not meet until next Spring. Any railway which has to wait until the Grand Jury gives assent, cannot be constructed in time to do any good in case there should be any serious failure of the potato crop. There is no way of meeting this great difficulty except by bringing in a Bill to call a special and exceptional sitting of the Grand Jury for the purpose of dealing with it. If I had any hope that such a Bill would pass without opposition, I would bring it in in the course of the present Sitting.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYI suppose the right hon. Gentleman knows that in the Act of 1880 there was an anticipatory provision by which the Lord Lieutenant was enabled in special and urgent cases to call special meetings of the Presentment Sessions for the purpose of providing relief for distress. I suppose the Government will adopt a similar provision with regard to the summoning of the Grand Juries.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI am obliged to the hon. and learned Gentleman for bringing the question to my notice, and for the assurance that such a measure will be hailed by him as of great advantage to Ireland.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURTo-morrow.