§ MR. CLANCY (Dublin Co., N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland is he aware that the late Government expended large sums of public money in having a road partly made between Aasleagh and Lonisburgh, County Mayo, in the construction of which several bridges had to be erected; and that two miles of the road remain unfinished: whether lie is aware of, and if not will ho make inquiries as to, the general failure of the potato crop in the parishes of Ross, County Galway, and Killowen, County Mayo, through which this road runs; and will he, in view of the great distress that is certain to exist during the coming winter, have this useful work completed, as well as works of a similar character opened up through the West of Ireland?
MR. J. MORLEYThe road referred to in the first paragraph is that between Aasleagh and Louisburgh, County Mayo, a portion of which remains unfinished. I am informed that arrangements are being made to obtain a county presentment for the improvement and completion of the road, and that the Congested Districts Board have agreed to contribute towards the cost of the completion of the work. With regard to the remainder of the question, I yesterday stated in reply to a question of the hon. Member for North Cork that the Local Government Board had instructed their Inspectors to keep them constantly informed as to the state of the poorer class. No Reports of the existence of distress amongst the people at present have reached the Board, and it will not be possible to form a reliable opinion as to the yield of the potato crop for some weeks to come.