§ MR. TULLY (Leitrim, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether he is aware that at the recent meeting of the Guardians of the Bawnboy Union the Rev. P. Gilchrist, P.P. Drumreilly, South Leitrim, attended and pointed out that, owing to the failure of the potato crop, as well as the agricultural depression, a number of his parishioners were in a state of extreme destitution; whether the Congested Districts Board have refused to carry out any relief works in the district; and whether it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to have steps taken, by giving remunerative employment, to alleviate the acute distress existing in this and other parts of the country.
THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. J. MORLEY, Newcastle-on-Tyne)I am not aware that the Rev. Gentleman referred to in the question, attended at the last meeting of the Bawnboy Board of Guardians, but I understand he recently addressed a communication to the Local Government Board on the subject of the existence of distress in his parish. The Congested Districts Board have intimated to the Guardians of this Union, in reply to a resolution lately passed by them, that the undertaking of engineering or other works with the object of affording immediate relief by the employment of persons suffering from exceptional temporary distress, is not one of the modes in which the Board are authorised to expend their funds. The condition of the poorer classes in the Bawnboy Union, has, however, formed the subject of special investigation by 183 the Local Government Board in common with other districts in the West of Ireland, where abnormal distress among small landowners may he apprehended in consequence of the partial failure of the potato crop. Government has been advised that in two electoral divisions of the Bawnboy Union—namely, Benbrack and Templeport, a number of people may require assistance from this cause towards the end of March or beginning of April, and it will probably be necessary to open relief works for the assistance of these people about that time.