§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether the inquiries which he promised to make into the condition of the Rosscarbery district have been made; and whether the Government intend to take any steps in the matter?
*MR. J. MORLEYI have had the advantage of a conversation with the Inspector who made the inquiries, and I cannot doubt that there is no reason to suppose that exceptional distress prevails in the district, and for this, among other reasons—that the amount of outdoor relief shows a falling off as compared with the same period last year. If the hon. Member will give me specific names and places where he says distress prevails, I will cause further inquiry to be made.
§ MR. W. REDMOND; Is it not the fact that the falling off in outdoor relief is due to the action of the Guardians of the district, who have unanimously declared that it is urgent that steps beyond those they can take should be adopted to meet the distress?
*MR. J. MORLEYI was not aware that the Guardians had made that declaration. I repeat, if the hon. Member will specifically name places where the distress exists, I will cause further inquiry to be made.