§ MR. DALTON (Donegal, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury if he can now state the cause of the delay in granting the sum of £116,000, recommended, so strongly by the Light Rail way Commissioners, and approved of unanimously by the Grand Jury of the County Donegal at the last Spring Assizes, in favour of the Stranorlar and Glenties line; and whether it is a fact that no objection to the proposed line has been received from any quarter? I also wish to ask whether the Government have yet decided on the route for the North-West Donegal Railway line to Falcarragh; and, if not, will he direct a sworn inquiry to be held at Milford or Ramelton, in order that the inhabitants of these towns might produce evidence in favour of the proposed line from Letterkenny viâ Ramelton, Milford, Carrigart, Creeslough, and Dunfanaghy?
§ MR. LEA (Londonderry)I beg also to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether the Treasury have decided to give the Donegal and Killybeg Light Railway Company a free grant under "The Light Railways (Ireland) Act, 1889," for the construction of their rail-way; and, if so, whether a similar grant will at the same time be made to the line from Stranorlar to Glenties, in the same County of Donegal, opening up the congested district of the Barony of Boylagh; whether the last-mentioned line was recommended by the Com missioners appointed under the said Act; and if, under the circumstances, the 1011 Treasury will give at least equal facilities to the Glenties line as to the Killy-beg line?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. JACKSON,) Leeds, N.I can under stand the desire of hon. Members and their constituents to know whether light railway schemes affecting their districts are likely to be aided under the Act of last Session. I would point out, however, that the Treasury and the Irish Government are engaged in negotiations and deliberations under quite novel and somewhat difficult circumstances. The fact is, there are more schemes than money, and, therefore, it is necessary that we should proceed very cautiously, in order to select the best schemes, and those which will best meet the requirements of the districts as a whole.
§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Longford, N.)We have vainly endeavoured to extract some idea as to what month in the coming year it will be possible to get an answer to this important question. The Government have now had nine months to consider the matter; how soon next, year may we expect an answer?
§ MR. JACKSONI hope within the limit of the time mentioned by the hon. and learned Gentleman to be in a position to give a favourable answer. I am afraid that the answer I have given must cover the other questions upon the same subject which stand on the Paper. Various schemes have been under consideration in regard to West Donegal, but none has yet been authorised.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYIs it true that there is a considerable amount of friction between the Irish Office and the Treasury on the subject; that the Irish Office take one view and the Treasury another?
§ MR. JACKSONI do not like to suggest that that question is in the nature of a fishing inquiry, but there is no ground for it.