§ MR. MORROGH (Cork, S.E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has received a resolution passed by the Courcey's district, Kinsale Union, in which, it is stated that—
Considerable distress is likely to prevail in this district,and for the purposes of preventing the same, the meeting was of opinion that—No work would be more calculated to meet the requirements than the construction of a pier at the strand near the Old Head of Kin-sale;whether he is aware that this work would be of permanent advantage to the locality; and what attention he is prepared to give the subject?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURA copy of the resolution in question has been received and is engaging attention.
§ MR. ROCHE (Galway, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he has instituted any works to relieve the distress in the unions of Loughrea and Portumna; and, if so, will he state the number of persons employed; and whether he has received resolutions, about two months ago, from the people of Woodford, in the Loughrea Union, demanding employment to meet the distress occasioned both by the almost entire failure of the potato crop and the great number of evictions carried out by Lord Clanricarde in the district?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURNo relief works have been opened in the unions mentioned, nor do the Government expect that such will be necessary.
§ MR. SEXTON (Belfast, W.)Will the Government give a table showing the extent and population of the distressed areas and the number of men employed on railways?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURIf the Member will put on the Paper the form of the Return he desires, I will consider the matter. I think there will be no difficulty in supplying the particulars asked for, except that the amount of 1082 employment varies from week to week, and a Return for one week might be very inaccurate the next.
§ MR. PETER M'DONALD (Sligo, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he has received a copy of a resolution recently passed at a meeting held at Cliffony, County Sligo, and presided over by the Very Rev. W. Crofton, P.P., calling attention to the general failure of the potato crop in that district, and to the consequent necessity of providing employment for the people, so as to enable them to purchase other food during the ensuing spring and summer, and further calling for the construction of a light railway from Sligo to Bundoran; and whether he is able to authorise the construction of the proposed railway? I also wish to ask the Chief Secretary whether he has received a Memorial, signed by over 600 ratepayers of the County Sligo, in favour of the construction of a light railway between Arigna and Collooney; and whether he is in a position to authorise the construction of that railway?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURA copy of the resolution referred to has been received, and the district is engaging attention. With regard to the railway suggested in the question, and a railway between Arigna and Collooney mentioned in the second question, I fear I ought not to hold out any hopes that the Government will be able to undertake them.
§ MR. MACNEILLI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he requested an interview at Letterkenny with the Most Rev. Patrick O'Donnell, Lord Bishop of Raphoe, a favour which was accorded to him by that Prelate; whether his attention has been directed to the Lenten Pastoral of the Bishop of Raphoe, in which his lordship complains that, although an investigation into the wants of the people had been instituted and work and wages promised to them, these promises have not been fulfilled, and asks is employment to come to the people when they have been broken in health and spirits; and whether the Government intend to take any steps in the near future towards developing the resources of Donegal?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI have not seen the Pastoral referred to. Some 700 or 800 men are given employment on relief works. The Government are engaged on two railways in the county, the length of which will be about 43 miles, the cost of which will be about £220,000 or £230,000. Donegal will also share in the advantages which will, I hope, be conferred on the poorer parts of Ireland by the congested districts portion of the Land Bill. If the hon. Member will point to any Government which has done one-tenth part as much to developing the resources of Donegal I shall be grateful to him.
MR. MAC NEILLI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware of the severe distress in the parish of Ardara, in the County of Donegal, there being no fuel and no potatoes, and no credit being given to the people to buy meal; whether this parish was one of the districts through which he passed last November, and to whose inhabitants he gave promise of relief works; and when he will fulfil his promise to institute relief works in this district?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURRelief works are already in progress in the district adjoining the parish of Ardara, and if further works are necessary they will be undertaken.
MR. MAC NEILLIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in his recent visit to the district he gave a distinct promise to the parish priest of Ardara that he would repair the roads?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI have already given the hon. Gentleman a clear answer to his question.