§ MR. A. O'CONNOR (Donegal, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether representations, duly made under the Labourers' Acts, have been before the Mountmellick Guardians since May in last year, and not yet acted upon; whether the Guardians have made any report in regard to them to the Local Government Board, under Clause 10 of the Act of 1883; whether many labourers within the Union are now living in dwellings declared by the sanitary officer unfit for human habitation; and whether the Local Government Board will put in force the powers conferred upon them by Section 4 of the Act of 1891?
§ MR. JACKSONRepresentations appear to have been submitted in 1890, and also about the date mentioned in the question, having in view the erection of labourers cottages in addition to the number already authorised in Mountmellick Union. The Board of Guardians have not yet made any scheme in pursuance of the representations, but the previous schemes are still in progress. Of the 61 cottages authorised, 24 are finished, and of the remainder ten are now in process of erection. No complaints on the subject have been made to the Local Government Board with a view to their taking action in the direction indicated in the concluding paragraph of the question.
§ MR. A. O'CONNORMight I ask whether some of the cottages still unfinished were decided upon as far back as the year 1885, seven years ago, and whether the Local Government Board will listen to any representations which may be made to them under the 4th section of the Act of 1891?
§ MR. JACKSONMy recollection is that that section gives power to the Local Government Board to make inquiries on such representations, and I have no doubt it will act in accordance with the section.