§ MR. J. REDMOND (Waterford)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether he is aware that there are six divisions in the Ballina union scheduled as congested districts, with a population of 12,500 people; and seeing that the distress in these divisions is as keen as in the Swinford and Belmullet unions in which relief works have already been commenced, will he explain why no relief works have been started in the Ballina union?
MR. G. RUSSELLIn three of the divisions of the Ballina union, scheduled as congested, works will be opened on the 19th of this month. The names of 284 these three divisions ara Attymass East and West, and Sraheen.
§ COLONEL NOLAN (Galway, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if his attention has been drawn to the resolutions passed last Monday by the Tuam Town Commissioners, which state that there exists a necessity for opening public and remunerative work in the Tuam district to arrest the distress caused by the failure of the potato crop and to avert the horrors of a famine, and point out the want of employment, and urge the advisability of sending down an Inspector to whom the Town Commissioners can point out the most suitable works; and whether he will do something to relieve the distress, and will send an Inspector as requested by the Tuam Commissioners?
MR. G. RUSSELLMy attention has been drawn to the resolutions in question. An Inspector of the Local Government Board has been sent to Tuam to inquire into the subject, and the result of his investigations will be brought under my notice in a day or two.
§ MR. L. P. HAYDEN (Roscommon, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has received copy of a resolution from the Strokestown Board of Guardians drawing attention to the distress in the union, and to the necessity likely to exist for employment amongst the labourer and small farmer class after the Spring work shall have been completed; whether various works have been suggested to him, including one to connect Strokestown with existing lines of railway; and whether he will favourably consider the suggestions made?
MR. G. RUSSELLI have seen a copy of the resolution referred to. The Local Government Board inform me they are not aware of the existence of any unusual distress in this Union at present, and they point out that when they recently offered to relax the restrictions on outdoor relief in the Union the Guardians refused to accept the offer.