HC Deb 24 April 1893 vol 11 cc1021-2
MR. MAURICE HEALY (Cork)

In the absence of the hon. Member for North Louth, I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether the War Department, by obtaining Richmond Prison, Dublin, for a barracks, has obtained buildings and several acres of land on which admittedly the Dublin Corporation spent over £100,000; whether the War Department are now in dispute with the Dublin Corporation over the lands at the Pigeon House Fort, alleged to be affected by the proposed main drainage scheme; what is the amount of compensation demanded by the War Department from the Corporation on account of the Pigeon House Lands; and why is the value of the new Wellington Barracks, which the War Department obtained at the expense of the ratepayers of Dublin, omitted from consideration in the discussion?

*MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN

According to a Return recently made to Parliament, the capital expenditure by the Corporation of Dublin on the Richmond Bridewell was £66,890. The Return shows also an amount expended on repairs, but this cannot be reckoned as part of the value. There is no dispute with the Corporation as to its main drainage scheme; but the Act requires that, before the Corporation can carry it out, the Secretary of State must give his approval to it, and that approval would be contingent on nothing being proposed which would be injurious to the healthiness of Pigeon House Fort. The subject has been referred to, and is still under the consideration of the Army Sanitary Committee, and it is premature to assume that any demand for compensation will arise. I may add that I have every desire to assist the Corporation in attaining an object so beneficial to the health of Dublin. There is no immediate connection between the drainage scheme and the acquisition of the Richmond Prison for the Wellington Barracks. The Corporation, I am advised, has no legal claim in regard to its disused prison. Even if it had, the value would be little beyond that of the land, for the old buildings have been to only a very small extent applicable to the new service.