§ MR. O'DRISCOLLOn behalf of the Member for North Louth, I beg to-ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, with regard to the interference with the fishing in the River Flesk at Killarney on the part of the Electric Lighting Company and mill-owners (1) whether he is aware that it was proved at the inquiry that the weir at present constructed across the Flesk, about two miles from its mouth, was a fishing weir in so far as it is a very serious obstruction to the passage of salmon to the spawning grounds, and has no Queen's gap or fish pass; (2) whether the Fishery Inspectors could direct the local Board of Conservators to erect such a pass out of the funds at their disposal, or make a grant for the purpose, and protect this valuable industry; (3) whether he is aware that the waste gate is situate in the mill race, between the sluices and the mills, and that fish cannot pass up the river through it except in very high water, and even then under the sluices; (4) whether he is aware that, previous to the starting of the electric lighting works in Killarney, the Flesk Mills sluices were never worked on Sundays and were shut down every 677 Saturday night, as required by law, but that now the mill is worked every day of the week and the sluices never shut; (5) and whether, as the most important industry in the district is imperilled by this repeated infringement of the law, he will instruct the Fishery Inspectors to have the requirements of the Acts strictly complied with, and also, pending the erection of a Queen's gap, have the wooden structure which was promised last July immediately erected?
MR. J. MORLEY(1) The Inspectors of Irish Fisheries inform me that no inquiry such as referred to in the first paragraph was held by them, and that as the weir is not a "fishing" weir there is not, as a matter of course, a Queen's gap therein. (2) The Inspectors have no power to give such directions to the local Board of Conservators as suggested in the second paragraph, nor have they any fund out of which such a grant could be made. (3) The statements in the third paragraph are correct. (4) Previously to the starting of the Electric Lighting Company the sluices were not worked on Sunday, and they were shut down on Saturday night, as it was not then necessary to work the mill. It is now, I believe, necessary to work the electric machinery. (5) The Inspectors have strongly impressed on Mr. Leahy, the millowner, the necessity of erecting the wooden structure referred to in the last paragraph. They are of opinion that the law would not justify them in practically stopping the working of the mill. They have no power, however, to make a Queen's gap in a weir which is not a "fishing" weir.