§ MR. T. D. SULLIVAN (Donegal, W.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that, on behalf of the inhabitants of a large and highly congested district in Western Donegal, several applications have been made, in the time of successive administrations, to the Congested Districts Board for the erection of a deep-water quay or pier in Cruitt Harbour; whether the engineers of the Congested Districts Board have visited the place and acknowledged the suitability of the site, and the great benefit that would accrue to the fishing industry in those parts from the construction of such a quay; whether he is aware that, for want of such a convevenience the transfer of passengers, sometimes numbering hundreds, to and from a steamer that occasionally calls into Cruitt Harbour on her passages between Sligo and Glasgow, is a task involving much difficulty and danger; and, whether, in view of the great service that would be rendered to a poor but industrious population by the construction of such a quay, be will arrange to have the work undertaken by some one of the Public Boards having control of such matters?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. J. MORLEY,) Newcastle-upon-TyneI am informed that applications have been received by the Congested Districts Board for the construction of a deep-water pier at Cruitt Harbour. The Board have no official information as to the statements in the second paragraph of the question, but 160 while admitting that the pier would be of service, they point out that the estimated cost of the different works suggested in connection with this harbour varies from £10,000 to £150,000, or even more, and they regret they have not sufficient funds at their disposal out of which to undertake a project entailing such a heavy expenditure even at the lowest estimate of cost. I have also communicated with the Board of Works, the only other Public Department concerned in such matters, and for a similar reason they would be unable to take up the work.