§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Louth, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury if he would state why the Irish Board of Works have withdrawn permits for carts and vans through the Phoenix Park; what is the explanation of the passage in their Circular which requires that, pending such arrangements as it may be found desirable to make, tradesmen's carts, vans, &c, will be allowed to pass through the Parkgate Street and Castleknock Gates on the drivers satisfying the gatekeepers, by the production of a voucher, that they require to deliver goods in the Park or in places conveniently served from Castleknock Gate; and that the use by carters of all except the Parkgate Street and Castleknock Gates will be discontinued; who is responsible for, and who took the initiative in, securing the proposed exclusion; how long has this right been exercised; if he is aware that its withdrawal would be a great inconvenience to the market gardeners and shopkeepers in the vicinity of the strawberry beds who supply Dublin with fruit and vegetables; and whether he is aware that the Board of Works, while thus restricting an old public right, lately allowed a road to be broken through the Park wall and a special entrance given direct from the new barracks into the Park for the sole use of the military?
§ * SIR J. T. HIBBERTRestrictions have alone been imposed for the prevention of heavy traffic through the side entrances to the Park, it having been found that a very serious abuse had arisen in consequence of the bad condition in which the roads along the north and south of the Park have been left by the County Authorities, owing to which traders' vans, wagons, &c, were using the Park roads exclusively. The object of the Circular was to discover how much of the traffic was absolutely necessary—i.e., for houses or public institutions in the Park, or for the district conveniently served from Castleknock Gate, and how much was due to the use of the Park roads as a mere matter of convenience and of necessity. The Board of Works, as statutory custodians of the Park, took the steps referred to in the general interest of the public frequenting the Park as a pleasure resort. The system of passes was in force for many years, but it would be difficult to ascertain exactly for how many. I will communicate with the Board of Works as to the extent of the alleged inconvenience to market gardeners in the vicinity of the strawberry beds, with a view to seeing whether any relaxation of the Rule now laid down is called for by the necessities of the case. Subject to the observance of the primary object of the Park as a pleasure ground, the garrison is allowed to use a portion of the Park for military purposes, and the Board of Works have recently allowed a gate to be opened into the new Marlborough Barracks for the convenience of the Military Authorities, and to reduce the inconvenience to the public of the occupation of the public and Park roads by regiments proceeding to the 15 acres.
§ MR. SEXTONAs this pass system was instituted at the instance of the Grand Jury of the County of Dublin, will the right hon. Gentleman have any objection to again consulting that body?
§ SIR J. T. HIBBERTI see no objection.