§ MR. TULLY (Leitrim, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state (1) how many applications for loans, under "The Irish Reproductive Loan Fund Amendment Act, 1883," have been received from bodies of Town Commissioners in the Counties of Roscommon and Tipperary: (2) what sum has been advanced to the Roscommon Town Commissioners under this Act; (3) whether it will be possible for the Roscommon Town Commissioners to apply for fresh loans under the Act; and (4) whether he can state what are the reasons which caused the Board of Works, and latterly the Congested Districts Board, to refuse the applications of the Boyle Town Commissioners for loans under this Act for works of public utility, such as the building of a Town Hall and the erection 412 of artizans' dwellings, seeing that under Sub-section 5, Section 35, of "The Land Purchase (Ireland) Act, 1891," the Irish Reproductive Loan Fund is applicable only in any county in which the fund was before the passing of that Act applicable?
MR. J. MORLEY(1) I am informed that five applications were received under the Act mentioned in the first paragraph from Town Commissioners in the Counties of Roscommon and Tipperary. (2) A sum of £1,500 was advanced out of the Fund to the Roscommon Town Commissioners previous to the transfer of the Fund to the Congested Districts Board under the provisions of the Land Act of 1891. (3 and 4) As regards the third and fourth paragraphs, I am informed that neither Boyle nor Roscommon is congested within the meaning of the Act of 1891, and that the Congested Districts Board have no power to grant loans to the Town Commissioners of these places except for the purpose of benefitting congested districts.