HC Deb 08 June 1894 vol 25 cc680-1
MR. W. KENNY (Dublin, St. Stephen's Green)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if his attention has been directed to the auditor's Report, dated the 19th of April last, on the condition of the Skibbereen Union, which calls attention to the fact that in carrying out the provisions of the Labourers Acts the Guardians seem to have no idea of their responsibilities; that contractors build the houses at their leisure to suit their own convenience; that one plot was actually rented by a person from the contractor; that in seven cases the occupants got possession of the cottages before they were completed; that cottages are often allotted to old and infirm persons who are past their labour; and that cottages which have been built but a short time already require substantial repairs; and whether, having regard to the conclusion which the auditor has arrived at—namely, that the management of the affairs of the Union is discreditable to the Guardians, the Irish Local Government Board will consider the advisability of superseding them and of appointing paid administrators?

MR. J. MORLEY

In his Report on the audit of the accounts of this Union in April last the auditor did, I believe, make the observations referred to in the first paragraph of the question. The delay that has taken place in the erection of the cottages, and which is not peculiar to this Union alone, arises from the fact that the houses are scattered and at a considerable distance from a town, and the consequent difficulty of securing regular builders to contract for their erection. With regard to the labourers getting possession from contractors before the completion of the houses, it does not appear that this has been done with the authority of the Guardians, who, I may point out, can require the contractor to give up clear possession of the premises before making the final payment in respect of the contract. Out of the 196 cottages provided in the Union, more than 100 were completed five years ago, so that repairs may possibly be now required in many of these cases. With regard to the second paragraph, the Local Government Board do not consider that the circumstances are such as to warrant any action in the direction suggested— even if the Board had legal power so to act, which is doubtful.