§ MR. D. SHEEHY (Galway, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether he has received reports from the Arran Islands, conveying that most acute distress prevails amongst the inhabitants; whether he is aware that there are 50 evictions at present pending; and, whether any public works are being started in the Islands; if so, how soon are they to be begun?
MR. J. MORLEYThe Local Government Board Inspector visited the Arran Islands when the potatoes were being dug out, and he reports that the crop was well up to the average, and that he heard no complaints. There are, of course, a number of people on the South Island and in the village of Killeaney, in the North Island, who are in poor circumstances at the best of times; but the Board believe that so far nothing has occurred to intensify the poverty, or to render it necessary to open relief works. I may add that the Clifden Guardians proposed to procure a supply of seed potatoes from the Island this year, and this would appear to show that the potato crop is not believed to have been a bad one. I am informed that ejectment decrees were obtained against 47 tenants on the Islands at Galway Quarter Sessions last October, and that notices under the Land Law Act were posted on the 5th ultimo.